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In an
interview for “Paste” magazine, the lead singer of the indie outfit
Desert Noises nailed his own personality in two sentences. When asked what early band recordings were like, Kyle Henderson stumbles through a sentence or two before uttering, “During the recording, my brother left on a Mormon mission. So that kind of happened.” It is that cool, nonchalant air about his statement, one which teeters between flying by the seat of his pants and just going with the flow, that embodies this Utah native.
More to the point, three years before, Henderson and the rest of his band left their families and friends to travel the U.S. in a van. Henderson had a marketing job with a multi-million dollar company and a wife, but he fell victim to the pull of the open road.
Desert Noises’ music is filled with religious motifs describing picturesque mountains and landscapes from the band’s home in Provo, Utah. The band’s exodus from this Mormon-influenced valley takes on a prophet-like mentality with Henderson as the fervent religious leader preaching the good news of genuine rock and roll.
With just a sampling of their newest album, “27 Ways,” it becomes apparent this is a much more polished album than its predecessors. The persistent drumbeats by Patrick Boyer throughout each song, coupled with addictive guitar hooks from Brennan Allen create a solid foundation for many of the songs on the album. Bassist Tyler Osmond is not left out of the limelight, but stepping in to bridge the gap between the talents of the other musicians. With this platform, Henderson’s voice is elevated to be commanding and passionate.
Take for example the track, “
Mice in the Kitchen,” where Henderson sings, “You know its time for your bath / so stretch that dress off your back,” while the drums beat and the guitar strings strum smoothly. Henderson’s lyrics clearly demonstrate a band soaring with confidence from turning dreams of musical careers into a reality. This line and others throughout the album ooze with a passion only satisfied by the open road and living the dream of a traveling band.
“
Smoke Breathing Monsters” is the most intimate and introspective song on the record. Basically a ballad, the song describes the addictive lifestyle of smoking cigarettes — one with which Henderson is all too familiar — with each lyric like little puffs of smoke swirling up toward the atmosphere. Henderson's vocals fill with a torrent of emotion throughout the song, only to culminate by calmly collecting himself to blow out the remainder of the final lyrics. Yet the song is no drag, as the instruments backing him supply a steady ca(cough)ony of sound. Like a support group, this struggle is not one for Henderson to bear alone.
Finally, in the song “
What the World Made,” Henderson sends up a calling to someone who sounds all too familiar, “I know you got your reasons, with the seasons, but please Jim / I don’t want to pick up all the pieces, when your head spins, will you listen / Man you have to have some soul / move along and get lost.” The siren’s song Henderson is perhaps trying to pull his brother ,who joined the Mormon Church, to come back and join Henderson and Desert Noises. Sure, a similar calling and a fulfilled purpose is something Henderson found when forming the band — but the path Desert Noises is forging is one truly of biblical proportion, and the group is calling all willing to join them to see the light. Christ, I am a convert.
