C.D. On Songs: The Longwalls - "Dark Academy"

Are you psyched for this weekend yet? I know I sure am. So after you watch the Bruins Saturday afternoon, you'll need someplace to work off all your energy. It just so happens that The Longwalls are releasing their new record this Saturday night at the Lizard Lounge with their buddies/spellcheck's enemies Cassavettes. It's derby night, whatever that means. Either you're supposed to wear a derby, or is has something to do with some horse race going on that night. So pick up your race form and we guarantee you won't lose at the Lizard Lounge.

The Longwalls - "Dark Academy"
[download it!]

Sometimes you just need a song that lets you stand on the ledge of something and gaze bravely out off into the distance. So we should give special thanks to The Longwalls for allowing us admission into their "Dark Academy." This track has the slow, gradual swing of a medium sized wooden boat with masts and flags and whatnot.

"Dark Academy" has an emotion that's not too upbeat, yet not too down. It exists somewhere in the middle, where such emotions are part of the inevitable horizon, imminent yet unpressing. This is largely in part to vocalist Alan Wuorinen's stoic vocal performance. Like (we assume) fellow Finn Tuukka Rask, Wuorinen seems an unflappable, solid presence in his position.

Is this "Americana" music? Yes. Yet like New England is a unique piece of America, "Americana" music from our region has a specific quality that separates it from the mid-America sound normally associated with the genre. Our Americana is one that can look one direction and see America, yet look the other direction and see the wild expanses of the untamed ocean. The Longwalls have captured this essence in "Dark Academy."

Want to submit your band's song to C.D. On Songs?

To be reviewed in a C.D. On Songs column:

*Be a Boston-based band/artist.

*Email a single mp3/m4a/etc. (or a download link to one) to cdonsongs (at) gmail (dot) com, with the subject line "C.D. on Songs" (DO NOT send us a bunch of songs and make us pick, we will ignore you). We require a file – not a streaming link.

*Include album cover art if you have any. If you don't, a band photo or logo is acceptable.

*Tell us when you want to see it! Give us the date of your show and we'll make sure it runs as close as possible to that day. No kidding.

We will assume that we have your permission to make the song downloadable on Boston Band Crush (readers will want to hear it, after all). If that's not ok with you, say so and provide us with a link to the song on an embeddable player like ReverbNation – something we can include in the post (and not just link to).