Extinguished Dreams is the enthralling new album from Sanford:, strutting a wide array of stylistic turns — from the twangy brightness of “Look Out Loretta” to the nocturnally atmospheric rock/electronic hybrid “Wait and See.” Thematically revolving around the roles of dreams and reality, the release is a fantastic follow-up to last year’s The View Changes, and continues to show the South Carolina-born and Brooklyn-based artist as very capable of both intriguing soundscapes and melodic immediacy.
Opening track “April 3, 1974” caught our ears earlier this year with its lyrical storm-time ruminations and rock vigor — and Extinguished Dreams continues to impress consistently thereafter. “Carolina’s Better” assumes a jangling illumination into the replay-inducing hook: “She wants to go Mars, but Carolina’s better.” The album stirs in its array of more spirited approachability, here and on gems like “Look Out Loretta,” whose southern-rock ascent is fully impactful, particularly upon the “won’t see me anymore,” bridge at mid-point.
The album also has its share of standout soundscapes, in the more subdued realm. “Sunset” is a magnetic example of such, weaving murmuring guitars and sullen vocals with a late-night intrigue. “A familiar face calls out my name,” Sanford’s vocals bellow, leading into a title-referencing chorus that sends chills. The preceding “Wait and See” melds subdued guitars and electronic drums for a similarly atmospheric realm, set artfully against lyrics described as “the story of an addict and, in this case, a love that will not happen.”
“Resonance Cascade” is especially breathtaking in its structural evolution, spanning over nine minutes. Warming organs and sturdy guitars complement vocals that lament “it won’t be the same,” during a patiently unfolding drive, reminding fondly of Father John Misty in the “relative is relative,” sequence. A more rollicking rock ardency takes hold in the final minute, pairing with a reprise of “Sunrise” for a gorgeous send-off to this memorable album from Sanford:.
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“Sunrise” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
