Send "Seabird " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Absolutepunk |
 Fans of intricate indie rock aren't going to find many reasons to embrace Rocks Into Rivers, the new full-length from Cincinati's Seabird, but those that enjoy piano-fueled pop-rock should find armfuls of reasons to relish the disc. While their brand of Brit-influenced hook-laden rock isn't terribly original, it's hard to find fault with any of it. As equally compelling as Til We See the Shore, Rocks to Rivers picks up where that disc left off but makes an even bigger splash. Lead single and catchy opener "Don't You Know You're Beautiful," has loads of grace and charm, while the rousing crescendo of "Sing to Save My Life," is another memorable turn. Of the album's first half, the sun-drenched "Believe Me," and the danceable "Baby I'm In Love," are also worth separating from the lot. True to their Christian roots, Morgan does allude to spiritual themes, most notably on "Trust," and "The Good King," but aside from a select verse or two, there's not a whole lot that's preachy or worship-based here. The album's second half moves away from the mid-tempo structures and tackles balladry with an ease and efficiency that struggling musicians should take note of. With the exception of the explosive "This Road," all of the songs are brooding, gauzy numbers that drip with sentimentality, drama and passion. Of the six the all-too-brief "The Sound of You and I," is a definite head-turner, while the impassioned "This Ain't Home," and "Don't Change a Thing," are proof positive of the band's collective abilities....full text |
| Indievisionmusic |
| It’s always hard to tell what an album will sound like just from a single. Upon listening to ‘Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful’, the first single off of Seabird’s sophomore album Rocks Into Rivers, you might think the piano based pop band has gone on to make dance music. Everything from the heavy bass beat to the quirky vocals gives off that vibe but really this is just a continuation of their debut album. It’s upbeat, uplifting, and chockful of piano with Aaron’s soaring vocals being a trademark highlight. So what’s that all mean? Well, it’s both a good and a bad thing. The good news is if you loved their debut you’ll find much to love here and shouldn’t hesitate in picking this up at your local store. The bad news is if you prefer bands to constantly explore new territory and redefine themselves there isn’t much of that going on. When they do branch out and throw you some curveballs, either in song structure, sound, or quirkiness, they succeed and craft some fantastic pieces of music that stand out in their young career. ‘The Good King’ and ‘This Ain’t Home’ are perfect examples of this. The former has a very uplifting message about those that may feel alone in this life and to hold on for ‘the Good King’ who is right there and doesn’t see the mistakes you’ve made. The message may seem pretty cut and dry but it’s the vocal delivery of Aaron who has the type of range that sends chills down your spine and puts you in a good mood. The climax stirs the soul with the beautiful piano and other various instruments meshing to perfection. ‘This Ain’t Home’ may seem like a soft ballad at first but, much like ‘Cottonmouth (Jargon)’ off their first album, there’s more beneath the surface. The layered vocals and buildup halfway through is pleasant to listen to and a simple drum beat picks things up all the more. Aaron also hits some high notes I haven’t heard him hit yet. The next two tracks break up the flow of the album a bit. I’m usually all for that as too many songs of the same tempo in a row blend together. In this case, ‘The Sound of You and I’ is a headscratcher as it clocks in at just under two minutes and just seems like an incomplete acoustic track. ‘Don’t Change a Thing’ is also a bit slower and the chorus is a bit underwhelming for what the music behind it sets it up to be. The good thing is Seabird make up for that with a new sound for them on the next two tracks, the bluesy ‘This Road’ and catchy guitar riff driven ‘Finally Done Right’. Interesting thing about that last one, it’s a commentary on Michael Jackson’s life and almost seems a bit tongue-in-cheek at points....full text |
| Thealbumproject |
| Everyone knows a band’s sophomore album is their most telling, and so for that reason, ‘Rocks Into Rivers’ is a little bit disappointing. Continually throughout this album it feels as if the thought of mainstream success is what is dictating the choices, rather than the drive described on “Let Me Go On” from ”Til We See The Shore’. You’re usually hardest on the ones you love and after a magnificent debut album, Seabird definitely had my attention. ‘Rocks Into Rivers’ is not a failure, nor is it anything less than a good time, the thing it doesn’t do though is provide a multitude of standout tracks, but rather ones that blend into each other. “Believe Me” and “Sing To Save My Life” are good examples of decent songs which could have been one long one with some minor tweaks. Not until the the last 30 seconds of “Sing to Save My Life” does the song come alive with an energy and spark I would have loved to see more of. Without getting hung up on comparing one record too much with another one, the biggest difference between the previous album, ”Til We See The Shore’, and the new one is the band’s lyrical content. The debut album was actually quite dark with a majority of the songs describing the process of just hanging on despite hard circumstances. While I wouldn’t describe ‘Rocks Into Rivers’ as “all smiles”, I would say that it comes across much more optimistic during the trying times....full text |
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