DENALI
The Instinct (Jade Tree)
Reviewed by Erick Mertz

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The voice follows where the music leads on Denali's The Instinct. Maura Davis' pipes are a series of contradictions: they can be described as fragile and striking, as both powerful and shaky instruments. The beats on songs like "Surface" and "Do Something" are so smooth, yet off kilter, they form their own time, becoming danceable on unspeakably perplexing terms. As it wails along in its noise-adelic styling, "Run Through" sounds like a Syd Barrett hymn of love and lust.

Three songs into The Instinct and you're ready to change your ways, and for good this time, if only to tame Davis' needful trill.

A part of me wants to believe that title songs dictate a record's tempo but track 4, "The Instinct," tries to be a more upbeat rocker that isn't quite as satisfying. While the good folks in Denali aren't bad per se at the upbeat, they are outstanding when backed into that confusing, complicated emotional trap. Lyrically, there also emerge a few moments that leave something to be desired. For someone with such a demonstratively hurt, cutting tone, Davis isn't as wry as she could be. Luckily however, her voice has that degree of "Stipeness" - that almost deliberately evasive, indecipherable quality that made Murmur and thereby, REM, terrific. She almost makes her lyrics an unnecessary device.

These aren't deal breakers though, they're merely quibbles. Denali has a lot going for it - appreciably more skill and panache than most bands out there. The moody modern rock genre is a busy one, but somewhere between Portishead's downbeat Dummy and Pulp, Denali's The Instinct should find them a niche all their own.

© 2004 - Erick Mertz