Feature | Modern Refuge
Modern Refuge boldly bursts upon the alt rock scene with their debut album ‘Runaway Dream’. The album has been a long time coming, beginning with a pivotal trip to the Arizona desert where the four band members, Sam Winfield, Vincent Amendola, Brian Winfield, and Jim McLoughlin, became Modern Refuge. Over the last two years, the band has opened for touring acts such as Talk and Rozzi, and released several singles that appear on ‘Runaway Dream’. The album itself is a tapestry of lyrical analogies, edgy riffs, and whimsical harmonies. The rock ranges from soft to indy to alternative and back again in a way that tells of the push and pull of longing, love, and the emotional rollercoaster of life itself.
The first track Teething is hard and edgy musically as it lyrically defies stereotypes and embraces the freedom of rebellion. Wave Empire softens the rock into a sound that sort of reminds me of Fleetwood Mac with Sam Winfield’s gritty, wailing vocals really letting loose.
Pearl is probably my favorite track on the album. I love the dissonant chords at the beginning that smooth out into melancholy harmonies in the chorus. It seems to represent the conflicting emotions that accompany moving forward and ultimately healing from the past. The lyrics, vocals, and musicality of how the whole track is put together is intentional and beautiful.
Another stand out track to me is Becalmed which is simply a musical interlude. The harmonizing strings are captivating, mimicking the ebb and flow of ocean tides. One might think a song like this would feel out of place on an alt rock album, but it flows beautifully into the beginning of the next track, Rope, and provides a quieter moment of reflection before Rope eases us back into a faster tempo with a Paramore-esque intensity.
‘Runaway Dream’ accomplishes the somewhat difficult task of creating a rock album that is thoughtful and innovative while maintaining its edge and technical instrumentation. The guitar riffs and drumming are impressive, but they compliment rather than distract from the vocals and compelling lyrics. The album is altogether a cathartic and captivating journey to take.