Wes Schlag’s Debut Album is a Slow Burn with Hidden Potential
Photo courtesy of Wes Schlag
On his debut album, These Are The Days, Wes Schlag’s signature beat-up red tennis shoes hesitantly step toward center stage. Schlag is mainly known as the quietly content bass player of the hard-hitting alt-rock band Mylo Bybee. On These Are The Days, Schlag takes a decidedly different tone trading his bass for an acoustic guitar and harmonica. Schlag’s new album is reminiscent of afternoon backroad drives and campfire conversations but does not hit its stride until halfway through the nine-song tracklist. The title track puts maximum effort into the classic “rambling rouge” narrative but misses the mark with flimsy lyrics like “To the woman in Alaska I took your tabasco I’d hoped it would spice up my food.”
Fortunately, Schlag’s misguided efforts to differentiate his sound begin to fall away with the song “Lightweight.” Brightly melodic, the track is carried by warm guitar riffs that are complemented by the natural over-extension of Schlag’s vocal range. The songs “Moonchild” and “This Painful Life” are quietly unexpected gems, while “Comparing Limbs” and “Live From The Broken Tap Saloon” are the album's two standouts. “Comparing Limbs” opens with Schlag’s soothingly low vocals approaching the listener like an ex who cannot help themselves. The song's subtle use of vocal distortion creates the illusion of late-night phone booth confessions. Lyrics like “Boy, have my limbs missed you, babe,” give the track an endearing charm that does not overpower its bittersweet sentiment.
Closing out the album, “Live From The Broken Tap Saloon” weaves together small vignettes to create a snapshot of life rooted in Rocky Mountain mythology. Stepping away from the overdone alt-folk persona that plagues the first half of this album, the song highlights Schlag’s talent for the ephemeral. While These Are The Days may trip along the way, it finds its footing in showcasing Wes Schlag’s ability to create heartbreakingly familiar landscapes full of ardent lyrics and bittersweet sounds. Overall, the album is an encouraging preview of what will hopefully come from this multifaceted artist.
