Blueanimal - On My Mind

With the pandemic dragging on for over a year now, it might be redundant to call any new artistic project 'appropriate for the times.' However, Blueanimal's On My Mind absolutely fits that description. Lead vocalist/guitarist Luke Elms for this Orlando-based band describes the project as a "concept album telling the story of a person descending into and rising out of a battle with depression." To achieve this goal, Elms and band applied more of a grungy sound for this new work's sonic. And it's a true stunner.

An album that takes on the always relevant, yet many times touchy subject of depression, is always welcome in rock circles. Many in the artistic world suffer from depression, and bouts of depression have oftentimes unintentionally inspired some of our greatest art. However, the pandemic makes this subject even more pertinent because the lockdowns and social distancing demanded by health experts to fight the virus' spread, have also led to more and more cases of depression.

Yes, Elms points to Seattle's grunge influence on this album's songs, but the bass line that introduces "This Side of Me," reminds one more of Joy Division music. That's no great surprise, though, as there is a whole lot of depression running through that pivotal band's work. Even less grunge-like is "What Does It All Mean," which is built on acoustic piano and guitar. It's sadly confessional and truthful. "Went to bed early and woke up tired," Elms begins its lyric, which succinctly summarizes the depressed state. It's a fantastic song, which wastes no time getting straight to the point.

Simply put, On My Mind is one fantastic album.

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