Album Review: Wayside – What Does Your Soul Look Like

Disappear into the night

Wayside, an Australian rock band, recently came out with their second album What Does Your Soul Look Like. Blurring the lines between dream pop, grunge and emo, Wayside is paving their own path while also drawing inspiration from other artists. Their latest record balances melodic and heavy elements in a way that makes their emotive lyrics shine, as if lyricism is the driving force behind their instrumentals. The consistently dreamy yet unsettling atmosphere of this record makes for an exciting listen bound to keep people on their toes.

“Madonna” kicks the album off with harsh drums and airy guitar. Then, the song comes in at full force with metal-inspired elements. Thomas Davenport’s smooth vocals add a nice contrast to the heavier elements of the piece, such as the rapid rhythm of the bass drum and bassline. While the track is sonically weighty, the chorus has a lighter sound. The lyrics “Now I wonder / Were you even there?” only add to the darkness as they clearly point towards unhealthy relationship dynamics. “Proud Of You” starts with fast strums on the guitar. The lyrics seem to urge someone to end something that’s no longer making anyone involved happy. This is especially pointed at when Davenport sings “Talking about the dreams we had / They weren’t about each other.” Around two and a half minutes in, everything slows down. The drums, cymbals, subdued guitar and bass play in a manner that makes Davenport’s voice the main focus.

“Parallax Error” starts with crunchy plucks on the electric guitar. The chorus begins with four hits on the bass drum as the lead vocalist sings “I never wanted to be your keepsake / So put me in a jar / Seal it tighter now.” It’s as if Davenport’s trying to break the jar’s glass and escape the confines of the space. The most haunting song on the record is “Asymmetry.” The slow tempo and screeching guitar makes for a chilling soundscape that allows listeners to appreciate the thought that not only goes into the instrumentation, but the lyricism as well. The song fades out with distorted guitar and ends with a harsh tap of a hi-hat cymbal.

The bass growls in the background of “Half Nelson.” Between each verse, Josh Ehmer’s guitar skills take precedent. The bassline continues prowling in the back, which makes Ehmer’s playing pop at just the right moments. Magic happens when Davenport’s vocals are mixed with these elements, especially when he sings “Give a little of everything / Give to those who have everything.” The growling bass continues in “Lean Into It.” The cyclical flow of the lyrics is fitting, particularly with lyrics “You come and go I won’t deny you on arrival / Yeah, it’s a cycle / Around we go.” Eventually, there’s a tonal shift with the guitar at the end, which takes the piece in a darker direction. Ehmer’s playing rings out until the track fades to silence. These intentionally messy moments seem to be nods to ‘90s grunge bands, which is one of Wayside’s main inspirations.

“Safe Forever” features angelic, soaring vocalizations and reverbed instrumental elements. Davenport discusses wanting to protect someone, making his vocal performance even more pleasing to the ears. He sings “A thousand years too soon / You left us all / Oh, what I’d do / To trade places with you” and “You’ll be free of pain / And safe forever.” This bittersweet track is potentially the most touching song on the record.

The album closes with “Weightless,” which is a companion piece to the previous track “I Still See You In My Dreams.” This last song takes ideas presented in the 10th track and fleshes them out. For instance, “Weightless by design /  I’ll wait forever / For you and I” compliments lyrics in the previous piece that discuss a long distance connection. The bass drum and bassline sync up throughout the song, creating a heartbeat-like effect, meanwhile Davenport continuously presents stunning lyrics. The second to last verse states “Cornered in / The glimmering light / It enters me / Like poison might.” The light juxtaposed with dark themes can be interpreted in many ways, one of which being that the lightness of a situation can’t last forever. However, that only makes more room for what’s meant to last.

What Does Your Soul Look Like is a record full of striking messages and hauntingly beautiful instrumentations that will transport listeners to another world. With this only being Wayside’s second album, it’s exciting to see where their talents will take them next.