Searows’ second album, ‘Death in the Business of Whaling’, is a step forward for singer Alec Ducart, taking on a gothic-folk sound. Over his two works, Ducart has become proficient at the haunting sound present in his music. His latest album borders on immersive with its echoing melody and melancholy instrumental. Ducart has built a soundscape within the music of ‘Death in the Business of Whaling’.
Across the project, Ducart expresses haunting narratives embedded with literary messaging. Similarly, the ways he speaks about nature evoke a connection to Gothic literature. The title, ‘Death in the Business of Whaling,’ is a quote from Moby Dick. While his musicality is reminiscent of acts like Bon Iver and Phoebe Bridgers, his ability to connect with classic literature feels similar to that of Hozier. Both use a narrative-based approach to creating lyrics.
While stylistically the record is consistent, particularly in tone. Each of the four singles, ‘Dearly Missed’, ‘Photograph of a Cyclone’, ‘Dirt’ and ‘In Violet’ uses unique sounds that create a clear differentiation between each song. While ‘In Violet’ takes on a haunting sound, ‘Photograph of a Cyclone’ is faster-paced and upbeat in its instrumentation. There is a clear effort to create an album that is consistent and yet sonically interesting to its listeners. Some of the most interesting songwriting comes from the opening tracks of the project, where Ducart experiments with song structure to produce songs with unconventional arrangements.
The album opens with the track ‘Belly of the Whale’, and the use of guitar and banjo from the outset establishes the indie-folk sound which Ducart has become known for. The song is haunting and contains no chorus, with only three verses, creating a strange atmosphere for the rest of the project to follow.
The work’s second song, ‘Kill What You Eat’, takes on a sombre tone that is consistent through many of the later songs. This song deals with intense emotion and depicts a person who appears to struggle under the weight of their emotions. In the first chorus, the voice asks, “And do you always kiss the ground? / When somebody lets you down”, The lyrics elicit an emotion akin to despair, a feeling consistent within many of the record's songs. There is a consistent sadness which lingers between depictions of nature.
There is much beauty to be found within the album; Ducart himself has an angelic voice. Coupled with the subtle echo which prevails over each song, he sounds far off, adding a heavenly quality to the singing. The use of nature throughout the project makes it feel very grounded. The layers of metaphor within the song ‘Hunter’ compare the “juice from an orange” to the blood of a hunted deer, which itself acts as a metaphor for guilt. The layering of meaning intensifies the feeling that there is a level of violence to sabotaging a relationship, which is the main focus of the song.
Concluding is ‘Geese’, a mellow sign-off from the artist. It references Mary Oliver’s poem Wild Geese with direct responses to lyrics. Like in Oliver’s poem, Ducart uses the phrase “You do not have to be good,” as if consoling themself over an incessant desire to be a “good” person. It’s a reassuring ending to a melancholy album.
Overall, the album is a well-produced demonstration of the indie-folk genre. Infused with a beautiful kind of sadness that it seems Searows has quickly become known for in his discography.
Emma Giles
Image: ‘Death in the Business of Whaling’ Official Album Cover
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