From the start of Blessed Feathers’ Peaceful Beasts In An Ocean Of Weeds, I had high hopes for the five-track release. However, the disc proved to be another average indie folk album with no real shine to it. Donivan Berube’s wailing vocals combated with the whine of his counterpart, Jacquelyn Beaupre, was a clear set up for an earache by the time the release was over. Despite the less than favorable vocal harmonies, the rich folk melodies provided by the dreamy strings and weightless drums added charm to the dry disc. The opening number, “By Song Through The Americas,” added a nomadic feel to the short album as the narrative of the song and the dusty guitar tones added an old-time feel and reinforced the appeal of moving on. Immediately, Peaceful Beasts In An Ocean Of Weeds mellows out with slow and melancholy vocals but with a more melodic feel on the drums.
“Stinging Nettle, Honeysuckle” brought in a playful yet bitter alt-country sound. The twangy strings and howls pull the number together and make it stand out on its own while packing a heavy punch. “Winter Sister” closes out the album on a strong note, adding a haunting number that really has feeling into the mix.
By the end of the disc, the connection that I felt was missing between the duo and their music appeared, though a little too late. Blessed Feathers has all the potential to really knock one out of the park; however, Peaceful Beasts In An Ocean Of Weeds is merely a safety bunt.
In A Word: Average
