The Waxwings: Let's Make Our Descent : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Detroit's Waxwings live and breathe classic rock's roots. That's undeniable upon first, second and tenth spins of their third album, Let's Make Our Descent. Chunky Stones-ish riffs flow throughout, and there are moments that recall bands from the Kinks to Buffalo Springfield. In this immersion into the retro, however, the Waxwings come off more on the side of originality than rip-off. The album opens with a straightforward riff rocker with Eighties melodic sensibility, an appropriate breed to introduce the band's sound. Two of the album's strongest tracks, "All the Fuss" and "Answer to Me," highlight Dean Fertita and Dominic Romano's perfectly meshed vocal dynamic amidst squirming guitar parts. The dreamy acoustic charm in "Of Late" provides a well-sequenced, lightly psychedelic break from the meatiness of previous tunes. Ultimately, the Waxwings capture an intensity and uniformity on record that likely makes them force to be reckoned with live, a fitting next step for any allured listener.