The Submarines have popped up rather infrequently on my “shuffle.” The tunes were light, pretty but I lazily skipped over them, as the beats and melodies weren’t really helping to speed up my 25 minutes of torture at the gym. Yesterday, I had this bright idea to walk home across the city. Simply put, I was repulsed by the thought of being squeezed into a germ-infested T car with eight-million other disillusioned office workers, especially since the outdoor air was clear, if not very warm. I arrived at Kenmore, waited for the bus. The temperature suddenly dropped, (thank you schizophrenic Massachusetts “spring” weather) and my attire was rendered totally ineffective against this surprise chill. So I jammed my headphones on, and selected The Submarines’ latest, Honeysuckle Weeks…

Bit of band backstory: the CA native duo (John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard) have had their relationship issues, but are indeed the happy, creative couple. I say this with no bitterness whatsoever. Their story is pertinient, for the lyrics on Honeysuckle Weeks are certianly infused with reflections, observations and the pure enjoyment of loving and feeling love reciprocated. Where this could be miserably sugary sweet, The Submarines instead present a pleasant, airy and truly gorgeous collection of lyrics and melodies; their honesty shines through, making this album a delectable sonic chocolate caramel, rather than a gag-inducing scoop of thick frosting.

Musically, Honeysuckle Weeks is reminiscent of the Stars’ earlier work. In short, it’s pretty indie pop with soft, lithe vocals and charming guitars. On tracks like, “Thorny Thicket,” the band play with light, perky beats, thick, echoey keys and ethereal synth sounds. Hazard’s vocals swing up and above the playful electronica, and she thrills to the words “I cried ‘love, love’ and the skies opened up.” In contrast, the jumpier “You Me and the Bourgeoisie” has a darker vibe with heavier riffs and slightly muffled vocals; the overall effect sounds like The Cardigans a la Grand Turismo sans Nina Persson’s melancholic warbling and The Cardigans’ eerie darkness. Here, The Submarines lyrics, “every day we wake up/we choose love, we chose light ,” give the impression the band are trying to impart their wisdom on top a rapt audience, but somehow (perhaps the cheerful, quick riffs?) prevent the tune from being preachy. Another standout track is the sleepier “Swimming Pool,” that employs light acoustic picking, back-to-basics percussion and bright electronic blips that sound literally like water dripping. Not of the leaky tap variety, mind you.

In fact, none of Honeysuckle Weeks is dreary, or annoyingly upbeat. Somehow, The Submarines manage to push indie pop to the limits and still present an edge – one that occasionally comes across as bluesy and reflective. The joy of this album comes from both the love expressed through the lyrics and catchy tunes, but also the sheer range of instrumentation and sounds in each track. Honeysuckle Weeks is undoubtedly playful and pleasant, but in a grown-up, experienced way that simply adds to its appeal. It certainly made me forget for how long I’d been waiting for some method of transportation.

Aren’t they lovely?

[from www.pluginmusic.com]

www.myspace.com/thesubmarinesmusic