FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Washed Out, “Within and Without”

Washed Out
Within and Without
Sub Pop
Release Date: July 12, 2011

Track List:

1. Eyes Be Closed
2. Echoes
3. Amor Fati
4. Soft
5. Far Away
6. Before
7. You And I
8. Within and Without
9. A Dedication

First Impressions:

- The first song off the album is also the first single, which if you already haven't, you can hear below. "Eyes Be Closed" is an amazing start to Washed Out's debut album, Within and Without. It is the perfect opener with an inviting melody and, well, washed-out sound.

Washed Out - Eyes Be Closed by subpop

- I am currently sitting in my car and there is no better place to hear Washed Out's new album for the first time than with the windows down in the summer heat of Southern California—a cliché, but very true image. Within and Without was written for the car, the beach, the kick-back that transforms into a dance party. Each song seems so fitting for every situation with its heavy bass, light percussion and classic vibe.

- Ernest Greene's vocals are comforting. They put the listener at ease, allowing the synth and percussion to wash over. Each song off Within and Without has the ability to drain an audience of worries, leaving his listeners carefree, entranced by the music that surrounds.

- Within and Without is more than just a party album. Although it can become easy to dance and not truly listen to the lyrics, the album seems to be about distance, regret and (the always-easy one to guess) relationships. Music can be an escape for the artists, too.

- The album ends with an interesting track, "A Dedication." It starts off with a non-synthesized piano and no percussion, the opposite of almost every other track on this album. Even when the drums do kick in, Greene still sounds mournful and melancholy. "A Dedication" is his personal song, and is a wrap-up to a dual-sided album that can both please and intellectualize the listener.

Key Tracks: "Eyes Be Closed," "Amor Fati" (listen below) and "You and I"

Predictions: There is no doubt in my mind that this album is going to be successful. Although it may be a debut, Washed Out has already made quite a name for himself, gaining a decently high billing at festivals when he hasn't even released an album yet—a rather impressive feat. Within and Without is exactly the type of album people wanted to hear from Washed Out. It is danceable, fun, but also introspective, so it doesn't slip into the genre of simple party music. Expect to hear a lot of this album come mid-July.

Washed Out - Amor Fati by subpop