Wav-Legion – Live YouTube Singles
Wav-Legion – Singles Review
This is too much fun!
I started my experience with Wav-Legion reading about how a skilled Canadian from my own home province of BC named wav-Dr. joined forces with a talented lady from California by the name of Bonnie Legion…and of course, as always, I clicked play on some of the ol’ music to get an idea of what’s up while I was learning. The song I was listening to happened to be a ‘live capture vocal guitar performance’ for a song they’ve got on their new album II, called “Escape The Mundane” – and like…
…I mean…Wav-Legion, no offense here or anything…but I was like, you know, trying to learn & stuff. If you were just gonna go ahead and release one of the PHattest jams of the year with this single, I’m just saying a little heads up would have been nice! Next thing I know I’m 100% lost in the thick of incredible energy from the music this duo makes and not reading a single thing at all…I ended up locked on the split-screen video they’ve put together for “Escape The Mundane” and rocked it out with them from beginning to end, essentially incapable of reading, writing, or learning anything else til it was all over. And then of course I hit repeat, thereby inducing the same magnificent ‘problem’ in a beautiful loop.
I had indeed already escaped the mundane, as they were alluding to…and I had no plans to return to it.
Wav-Legion has the kind of personality, charisma, and spark that makes the difference.
And I’ll be honest…it’s the kind of genuine enthusiasm that had me looking past the opening intro; I know I’m like many people most likely, just being introduced to Wav-Legion & all…I was just never fully convinced it was necessary…I’m not gonna remember the intros when music like this speaks for itself. BUT…you see, that’s the thing here…this is what I’m saying about how personality makes the difference, how genuine interest & authenticity, passion & enthusiasm, will beat all the odds, every time; while that might have been my initial born-and-raised-on-Grunge reaction to their super friendly intro the first time in seeing/hearing one, the next time I’d hear them do it again I was pretty much waving at the screen like ‘HI FRIENDS!’ and completely overjoyed to see them all over again – these two are aces. I will absolutely, 100%, fully admit, that something they’re doing could permeate the hardest of hearts out there…there really is something incredible happening here between these two high-caliber artists making music as one in Wav-Legion…everything I’ve heard has been excellent or even better so far. It goes beyond that though…and it ties directly into what they’ve revealed onscreen through these videos, which is that, even though they’re miles & miles apart, the bond between them is strong as it gets. You genuinely want to root for a project like this to succeed in whatever their vision for success may be – they seem so extraordinarily happy & INTO this music they’re making…& it’s a vibe that spreads quickly, check it out for yourself below!
I wasn’t quite sure where we were gonna head at the beginning of this song…you’ll get what I mean when you hear how this opens with its mystical guitars from wav-Dr., before they pump-up the absolutely perfect club-style beat; it’s Pop, but it’s not – there’s so much more depth here from the poetic & artistic design of the lyricism & vocal-flow to the sheer level of talent in this combination on display. Put it to you this way…as I watched them bring it LIVE in these videos, you can see the visible X-factor in these two just as much as you can hear it. Every time I caught myself thinking about how audibly stunning Bonnie’s vocals are & how electrifying her energy is, I instantly reminded myself that the core of the music & backbone of the sound is equally flawless & just as much fun – wav-Dr. is crushin’ it with just as much passion for sure. Perhaps more amazing than anything else, is the fact that “Escape The Mundane” is over eight minutes long – and there’s not a single solitary second where you’ll find yourself bored or stretchin’ out for a yawn; it’s the complete polar opposite…there are so many things going RIGHT here that you’d lose count if you tried to count’em all. The hooks on “Escape The Mundane” are bulletproof…let’s just be crystal-clear about that…but truthfully, if I’m examining this tune as objectively as I can with how much I’ve grown to love this duo…I mean, this song is ALL hooks, all day – and that’s entirely because of the way they rock this. I love the writing, I love the performance, I love the energy…when you’re this into the music you make, you end up taking all of us listening right along with you…this is non-stop entertainment and I’m more than happily along for the ride. The uplifting vibe that Wav-Legion so expertly crafts is so natural it’ll blow your mind…this is music made by people that truly love what they do…and in return, we love it too – from the main verse/chorus hooks to the incredible breakdown & bring-back, “Escape The Mundane” checks every box in the win column and reveals the massive single-worthy potential of this amazing duo.
And now I want you to genuinely consider those words for a moment. Recognize that “Escape The Mundane” is over EIGHT MINUTES long as I’ve already pointed out – and that it NEVER drops its single-worthy sound for even a second’s worth of time. That’s beyond an achievement – it speaks to the fact that there’s seriously something magical happening here in Wav-Legion; I’ve road-tested this single to the max & listened many, many times…all that ended up happening was me loving it more on repeat. When you factor-in the radio-standards of the whole three & a half-minute song or less tendencies they have…again, recognize that it’s music being made like this that could beat those odds with confidence – I have no doubt whatsoever that it’s not just me that would happily sit through an eight minute jam this awesome over & over again – the people out there will genuinely love the fun that Wav-Legion creates.
“Brick by brick, we’re building this castle” – so sayeth the good Dr. at the beginning of their performance of their song “Layered Intentions” – and I’d recommend you take him at his word folks. Can we also just take a quick moment to acknowledge the awesome set-up surrounding him? Bonnie too in her own environment for that matter…they’ve clearly got themselves set up in the perfect places to get the best out of themselves – and as “Layered Intentions” will immediately prove, that’s definitely happening. This hybrid cut flexes all the style & finesse you could possibly handle! Bonnie…my friend…what a rockstar you are…listening to you attack the vocals and hit this beat with such precision, tone, and confidence…I mean…lady-friend, this is everything all us listeners out here really wanna hear – so THANK-YOU for rockin’ the mic RIGHT yo! Dig the fact that wav-Dr. has what we in the industry like to call ‘signature guitar-face’ – where you can see him react physically to the notes coming from his guitar – I’m tellin’ ya folks, this duo is non-stop entertainment…visually, audibly – it’s ALL there between them & they prove that the two in this band are all they’d ever need if the quality & ideas are gonna be THIS good. wav-Dr. certainly knows what he’s doing with that guitar of his & the music in general – we’re talking highly capable, highly talented, highly motivated individuals here, combining forces together as one, and making the most of every single moment you hear…I really don’t think you could ask for more from either of them than what they give ya on these songs – & again, keep in mind, these are live cuts! With tracks that have the soul, swagger, and cool of “Layered Intentions” and the jaw-dropping level of execution they put into their performance, it doesn’t just get me stoked about listening to their new album II – it shows that the full-on live-potential for these two to go out there on the road more than exists…I’d buy tickets to a Wav-Legion show in a heartbeat. I’ll be in BC in late June btw…just sayin.’
“Fear Of Flying” was the last cut I checked out from this live set of tunes, each member performing from their own respective studios. You can’t see it in this particular video…but in “Layered Intentions,” you’ll see a key element onscreen that’ll hint at a lot of the influence on Bonnie’s vocals…it’s not 100% right there in front of you, but it’s not hidden either – if you look close, you’ll see half an album cover onscreen in one of the sections of video…which is a Fleetwood Mac record. Bonnie absolutely has a similar fearlessness in the way she performs, akin to the legendary gypsy Stevie Nicks herself – and she’ll display much more of that spirit through the sound of her voice on “Fear Of Flying.” Hence the narrative I’ve crafted to suit this storyline I’m working with…that’s how it all ties in. You can also infer from that, that the sound of this single from II runs a bit deeper…a bit more seriousness & boldness in the vibe of “Fear Of Flying” – but it’s a move they pull off with just as much commitment & skill as the other styles they’ve already put on display through this set of songs. Bonnie puts fantastic soul into her vocals throughout the verses of this tune, and also finds a really unique hook to work with for the chorus; wav-Dr., as reliable as ever, holds the fort down with gripping music that continually captivates and keeps your attention locked onto this song with ease. Though I’ll say this…I’d tell these two to make sure they keep turning it up to eleven like they have been; the pace of the song & the writing is great…vocals are on the mark and the guitar parts are strong – I might be inclined to give the latter a bit more of an advantage in the mix or a bit more edge to enhance the fierceness in the potential of this particular song. That’s me being objective…looking at it from the outside; these two radiate positivity and an upbeat attitude…all I’m sayin’ is when it’s time to dive into the more intense side of their sound, they can bring it to us a bit harder & we’ll still love’em for their Pop-side just as much, know what I mean? All the pieces are there though, no doubt about that…and ultimately, like Bonnie says herself, “this is how we do things” – I’m certainly not complaining; I think they’ve got a more complex cut on their hands with this last single in terms of its depth & accessibility overall, but there’s no question about “Fear Of Flying” being a song of equal caliber. This track shines a brighter light on the songwriting you’ll find in Wav-Legion & pushes them into a different dimension of sound, again revealing just how versatile this band of two can be…and truly, how consistently awesome they are when it comes to the commitment & passion in their performances. Absolutely impressed with Wav-Legion…and as excited about the music they’re making as they are themselves…there might only be room for two within their band, but there’s room for each & every one of us to listen & support them – believe me, their effort & talent deserve it.
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