Fall couldn’t have started off better with the return of Dead Calm, or you may know him as Liam McCay. McCay is a music phenom who has released music under several artists’ names over the years. A few notable ones include: sign crushes motorist, Take Care and my personal favorite, Dead Calm.
It’s been nearly two years since the release of Dead Calm’s first album, “Accept,” which was very successful. Last Thursday, we were graced with the new project, titled “Keep Moving,” themed after Dennis Rodman, an ex-basketball superstar who challenged gender norms through fashion and ideas.
“Keep Moving” Pt. 1
The album begins with the track “Grow,” a beautiful blend of acoustic guitar and McCay’s dramatic vocals. You can hear the pain in his voice and the heartbreak in the lyrics; the first line is, “Can you love me now.” McCay seems to have an ongoing theme in the album where he attempts to move on, but the past keeps holding him back.
The following tracks, “Mountain,” “Slump” and “Keep Moving On,” are where the memorable Dead Calm sound arrives – an upbeat acoustic guitar with a sense of nostalgia in the lyricism.
“Too familiar with this town,” “It’s hard to stop and look around.”
“Mountain” sounds as if it could be a track off “Accept,” showing a lot of similarity to his most popular song, “Bleed.”
“Keep Moving” Pt. 2
The middle of the project turns to a slower and haunting sound, featuring artists, rosevile sucks, in “Turn Around” and widowdusk in “Chance.” Both artists, known for their melancholic lyricism and catchy sound, blend seamlessly into this project. “Chance” is my personal favorite off the record – the background drum cymbal and harmonies create a feeling of nostalgia and melancholy.
“Gorgeous Night” is the seventh track, marking a turning point for the album. Using more electronic effects, it sounds like a song that he’d make under sign crushes motorist. You could also argue that he drew inspiration from Current Joys (Nick Rattigan) on this track because of the electronic beat and distant, raw vocals.
Moving on to the final tracks of the record, it starts to feel like moving on isn’t possible. Track, “Say Goodbye,” shows McCay’s vulnerability and despair over what or who’s leaving him behind. Repeating the line “My baby,” over a sad acoustic guitar makes the emotions surreal. Followed then by the theme track, “We Love You Dennis Rodman,” we hear Rodman’s Hall of Fame speech used behind McCay’s moody guitar riff. Rodman’s heartfelt and emotional words contribute to the album’s energy and spirit, creating an even stronger sense of longing and sadness.
The album ends with “What Took You So Long,” leaving all his emotions and thoughts in the music. “Future is scary, past is just out of reach, I miss everything that you used to do, I miss who I was before I met you.” He begins to mourn the version of himself that he lost and tries to assert closure after a painful relationship, but the lack of resolution in his words mirrors the uncertainty of moving forward – ending the album not with an answer, but with an open wound.
Dead Calm
“Keep Moving” is an album that tugs on our most sensitive and hidden emotions. While it may not be the happiest, it’s real and raw, something that adds to what we love about music so much. McCay put his heart out there and because of the combination of his beautiful instrumentation and lyricism, we fall even more deeply. Hopefully, at the end of our most intimate moments and relationships, we can keep moving and remain dead calm.