Sadly, Port O’Brien is no more. Happily, WATERS is.

Former Port O’Brien leader Van Pierszalowski started this new band with musicians he met in Oslo, Norway. (No picture included). While we’ll always miss Cambria (the other half of Port O’Brien), WATERS has almost all the things you loved about Port O’Brien (except banjo) and then improves on Out In the Light.

Better singing. More cohesive sound. Fuzzy guitars with punch. Smacking drums with scratchy cymbals. It starts to feel like Pierszalowski is catering directly to me. (I want you on harmonica next, Van.)

And all the tricks from Port O’Brien are present. Like Van’s effortless shifting from a whisper to full-out venting. Or how he knows when to play acoustic and when to slap electric. When to strum, pick and whack all within one song to form the best tune. And lastly how each song feels like you’ve forgotten about it, then you hear the opening chords and get really excited all over again.

Broadly, you could say WATERS is like the best of 90’s rock. WATERS = Nirvana + Goo Goo Dolls. Dirty fuzzy rock meets highly melodic choruses, with sincere lyrics to boot.

And the subtle stuff you pick up on further listens. Like sonic tweaks that slightly affect the mood here and there. Keys, piano and string music all just in the distance. Like how “Ones You Had Before” (my favorite) features a vocal effect that sorta lingers without echoing.

Based on lyrical themes, Van has ocean waters, waiting and dreams on his mind. So much so that you’d be forgiven for thinking it sounds an awful lot like wet dreams. And we can probably forgive Van for more sea-life analogies knowing his past. Hell, even his last name is PIERSzalowski.

But if I had one quip, it’d probably be the lack of separation between the tracks. They don’t necessarily sound the same, but the best songs feel like they’re missing an extra gear, verse or something and ever so slightly. I find myself going back to the deep cuts more than the singles. Perhaps a few more production tricks would’ve sufficed.

Yet that shouldn’t take away from WATERS superb consistency. There not a single dud on this fine debut.

Stray Observations
-tumblr for hilarious comments from their free iTunes single “For The One”
-I’m gonna see them live w/Delta Spirit.
-Some album versions come w/ extra track: “If Only”