‘Peaks Island and Other Places’ by Little Champion is a 12-track acoustic guitar-led indie pop-rock album that captures the feelings of loss, grief, regret and everything in between. The tone of the album goes from bright and almost full of hope, to allowing little tinges of heavy melancholy and sadness give this mood a wistful edge.
Nostalgia and heavy realisations pair with evocative lyrics to give the tracks a unique, bright and quirky character that doesn’t let up throughout the track’s run-time.
Check out the latest news: Katy Perry Blasts Into Space With All-Female Blue Origin Crew: “I Put the ‘Ass’ in Astronaut”
‘Peaks Island and Other Places’ by Little Champion
‘Peaks Island and Other Places’: ‘Peaks Island Ferry’ – ‘Half Moon Bae’
We begin with ‘Peaks Island Ferry’, a track that introduces us to the album’s bright quirkiness while the lyrics dive deep into an expansive daydream. On this track, our narrator reflects on what feels like a fateful decision, not signing a lease for a house on Peaks Island, a place that feels like idyllic paradise.
They question whether it was fear or circumstance that stopped them, with the last verse ruminating on whether their life would have been different. “…How would my album have been different,…what would I have realised?…”.
The rest of the album seems to be an attempt to answer that question.
‘Drive’ uses a sentimental, bright, acoustic melody that seems to ride through the track’s soundscape. The track feels optimistic and potential, while our narrator seems to head out, ambitious and itching to carve their way in the world. “…If there’s meaning somewhere, gotta go get it…”. No regrets.
‘Half Moon Bae’, in the meanwhile, is slow and sentimental in an almost deliberate way. Now, our narrator finds themselves “…wishing for time to move slower and hotter…”, contradictions fuelling this sense of frustration.
They seem to know where they want to go, and “…can’t wait anymore…” to get there.
‘Peaks Island and Other Places’: ‘Suburbs’ – ‘Hall Tree’
‘Suburbs’ is quick-paced and energetic, dynamic with a slightly deeper, darker edge. Now, the frustration of not being where they want to be seems to be weighing our narrator down. The ambition and bright-quick pace seem to disturb them.
“…I want to scream from the rooftops, “I don’t know what I’m doing with my life!”. But I’d rather not think about that tonight…”.
‘Overpass’ houses chill guitar melodies that take on deeper tones that feel wistful and melancholy. “…Home feels closer than it ever was…” to the narrator, who seems to be making their way back to where they started. Dejected and melancholic.
“…Stuck in the moment I gave up on my dreams…”. A feeling that sticks with you as the melodies fade out.
‘Hall Tree’ is slow and dark with melancholic grief. The song eulogises a being so dear, it feels as though the brightness and dynamic nature of the previous tracks are at a standstill. “…You taught me how to love with sharp teeth…” and now, “…I still have your collar on the hall tree in my mind…”.
Poignant, touching and heart-achingly vulnerable.
You May Also Like : La Need Machine Drops Their Latest Full-Length Indie Pop Rock Album Pourquoi? C’est L’Amour!
‘Peaks Island and Other Places’: ‘The Other Side of Town’ – ‘Like the Earth is Flat’
‘The Other Side of Town’ begins with slow, deliberate, more melancholic melodies that feel intricate before settling into a slow, yet longing groove. “…I think I dropped my heart and left it on the otherside of town…and I won’t be back anytime soon…”.
The track inches away from potential and brightness, moving towards melancholy tinged with loneliness. The narrator even admits, “…it’s been a year and a half (and I) haven’t even clapped…”.
‘Dinosaurs, Etc.’ captures wistful memories located in a time and place long gone. Our narrator longs for people and places that have seemingly moved on, fruitlessly asking, “…how’s your life?…how’s California?…” with no answer.
The track is heavy and dark with wistful melancholy caught up in the web of memory. “…Dinosaurs and anarchy are your favourite things…(Wesley) made a cake of a T-Rex eatting a cop-car…”.
‘Like the Earth is Flat’ is a track that feels weighed down by dark emotions and melancholic melodies. Our narrator longs for comfort, actively seeking it in the face of what sounds like a forced stop. “…How much more doing nothing can I take before breaking down?…”.
‘Peaks Island and Other Places’: ‘Rustling’ – ‘So Long’
‘Rustling’ pulls from the melancholic sound of ‘Like the Earth is Flat’, dragging it out with this sense of unease. The soundscape is layered with melancholic rustling, haunting and looping. “…Checked the mail in the dark and heard a rustling across the street…”. The uncertainty in that moment lingers on the track and its haunting melodies.
‘Kid in the NW’ brings in pulsating synth melodies that, though subdued, hold a groove. The narrator’s melancholy and lightness seem to meld here, evoking bittersweet nostalgia for a specific space and time.
“…We were kids, kids in the Northwest…caught up in the spark…”. Here, melodies seem clouded by nostalgia.
The final track on the album, ‘So Long’ is heavy with grief and melancholy. The lyrics seem to pair death with dynamic images of life to move towards closure in a way. “…You were a part of me for so long, now I’m such a mess…”. “…Living without you feels so wrong,…I don’t know what’s left…”.
A poignant, heavy, heartbreaking ending to a journey that began with what felt like hope and bright promise.
‘Peaks Island and Other Places’ by Little Champion feels like an emotional rollercoaster that thoughtfully captures regret, grief and loss in swift motion. The album holds a poignant weight, one that demands to be felt in a way, by anyone who allows it to touch them.
Poignant, moving and bright with nostalgia.
The Artist
Little Champion is a music project by Dustin Goldklang based in Asheville, North Carolina. The music draws influence from anti-folk, underground indie pop/rock, DIY punk and mainstream pop.
Goldklang has developed a style of songwriting that bursts with dichotomy, fluid yet structured, thoughtful yet goofy, sad yet funny.
Follow Little Champion on Instagram!
Listen to ‘Peaks Island and Other Places’ here:
You May Also Like : ‘A Spark Or The End’ by Mission To Sleep is an Explosive Alternative Rock Album that Feels Immense and Cinematic
Big News – Sinusoidal Music featured on FeedSpot’s Top 90 Best Indie Pop Blogs and Websites
Check out our Spotify Playlists.
Check out our YouTube channel for music reviews, playlists, podcasts, and more!
Promotional Disclaimer: The content in this post has been sponsored by the artist, label, or PR representative to help promote their work.
