A fool for another day

Daylight

Duncan Sheik

Atlantic Records

If Duncan…

Daylight

Duncan Sheik

Atlantic Records

If Duncan Sheik was “barely breathing” back in 1996, then it seems as if he’s finally caught his breath and is operating on full lung capacity once again.

Daylight, which was just released Tuesday on Atlantic Records, is Sheik’s fourth full-length album, and was written entirely by him.

Daylight is Sheik’s confessional. The album is blanketed with stories of confusion, regret, pain and – every once in awhile – a song of hope. Sheik uses his music to create an emotional appeal – and it’s an effective and successful technique.

In “Genius (Never Came Through),” the opening track of the album, Sheik directly addresses the listener, saying, “You don’t really need to know every last detail, it’s hardly worth telling. Suffice it to say that I said that I would be there, but I never came through.” As the first and catchiest song on the album, it draws listeners in before they even know what they’re listening to.

The next track, “Half-Life,” is an emotional ballad filled with piano and acoustic guitar, my personal favorite combination of instruments. The song is one of self-exploration, and is lyrically and musically excellent in every aspect.

Sheik’s success in creating such a unique sound comes perhaps from his avoidance to rely on repetitive major chord phrases that so many pop artists thrive on. His style instead relies on creating dissonance in his sound and an element of self-disclosure that makes the listener emotionally sympathetic and attached – a sure-fire way to suck a listener in.

The exception of this avoidance is the first single. “On a High” is a poppy song that will draw in any top 40 fan, only to have them experience a slightly deeper album that’s sure to quickly grow on them. And previous fans will only be further impressed by Sheik’s ability to produce great music without being repetitive.

Overall, Daylight is an album of change, and perhaps this change is most evident when he uses the “F” word during “Good Morning” – an uncharacteristic and unexpected move on his part.

Daylight is an album that proves Sheik has made a full recovery and is back among the world of the living. “Shine Inside,” the last track, is precisely what Sheik is doing. In his words, “I’m seeing, I’m believing, I’m feeling strong.”

Shine on Duncan Sheik, shine on.