I find it incredibly frustrating to see good music go unnoticed. All too often media outlets let great albums slip through the cracks, failing to properly review them for the masses to read. Such is the case with Wakey!Wakey!’s debut album Almost Everything I Wish I’d Said the Last Time I Saw You, which was only reviewed by one major publication: USA Today.
Conceived as a record that traces the steps of a relationship and the aftermath of that relationship, by lead singer Mike Grubbs, Almost Everything I Wish… is a truly fantastic album about love and its misfortunes. Opening with the piano heavy number “Almost Everything,” a song very reminiscent of The Fray’s more recent material, Wakey!Wakey! expands their pallet with each increasing track.
“The Oh Song” seems like it was tailor-made for live performances, with an audience call and response built into the chorus. First single “Twenty-Two” features an intriguing guitar riff and whistling sample that makes it feel breezy despite the heavy subject matter of the lyrics. “Twenty-Two” is followed by the simple but wholly addicting “Square Peg Round Hole,” an easy choice for the album’s second single because of its sheer hookiness.
Though Grubb’s himself is no stranger to television, having guest starred on the current season of One Tree Hill numerous times, its a little surprising how many of Wakey!Wakey!’s tracks seem like they’d serve as perfect scores. Yet, it’s not hard to envision “Dance So Good” and “1876” both playing in the background of an emotionally charged scene.
The rest of the album is rounded out by the contemplative “Got It All Wrong,” and fun tracks like “Feral Love” and “Light Outside.” Unfortunately, the album’s final two songs don’t live up to the bar set by the songs that precede them. “Car Crash” is nice enough but it feels like a space filler in the context of this album ,while “Take It Like A Man” is the album’s only true misfire.
Overall Rating 8 out of 10
