Ocean Moods Cover by Franklin Ulerio
We’re getting into those dog days of Summer, and there’s no more Massachusetts way to spend those days with coastal drives along Cape Cod. Racing Days, the working name for Massachusetts native Brian Engles, soundtracks that idyllic Cape Summer with his latest album, Ocean Days, an 11-track ride along sand dunes, seafood, and the crashing waves of growing into yourself in your mid-20s. Along the way, Engles, an indie singer-songwriter, is based in Falmouth, traverses a nice spectrum of indie-pop songwriting styles including danceable, synth-laden grooves to breezy guitar twirls. Since 2013, he’s been releasing music under the Racing Days moniker on his Bandcamp page.
Ocean Moods wastes no time throwing you into the mix with leadoff track “Crumbs of Comfort,” a catchy synthpop tune. Don’t let the catchy melody and enticing vocal harmonies fool you, though: there’s some real melancholic empathy at play in the lyrics, which detail how it feels to watch someone you care deeply for dissolve within a personal crisis. That realization – that sometimes all you can do is stand by that person and offer moral support – is an important step in maturity.
As the album continues, the opening track’s bombastic beat stands in stark contrast with the song, “Everything Is Perfect,” which features a tug-of-war between Tame Impala-esque psychedelia and a lonesome acoustic guitar. Racing Days continue to flash those guitar skills as the album progresses, but moreso, it’s the lyrical scenery that Engles paints. The ability to write on personal themes and experience yet to still make all that accessible and relatable to listeners is a hallmark of a strong lyricist. But each time Engles crafts a sad scene, he makes a point to match that with the fun and quotable. For example, take “My Heart Is Hers,” another one of the album’s catchiest tracks. It features the hook, “It’s not like I can hit reverse / ‘cause, baby, my heart is hers. / I’m sorry that she came first,” sung with an equal measure of enthusiasm, regret, and longing.” This earnest, honest chorus is matched with more whimsical lyrical play in the song’s verses, with lines like, “Did you fuck some surfer bro?” delivered with an equal measure of disbelief, insecurity, and good humor.
Photo by Meghan Murphy
Other standout tracks “Be My Steady,” with a slow-driving drum beat and guitar lines that yearn as much as the song’s lyrics; quickies like “Shut Up 4 A Sec” and acoustic “Eat Your Breakfast;” and closer “Daily Double,” a perfect synth-driven bookend to compliment “Crumbs of Comfort.” Of course, the album’s real highlight are the surprise guest vocals from a pet cat that prelude “Everything Is Perfect.”
When all is said and done, Ocean Moods delivers a smooth listen throughout and makes a great companion to a sunny, summer day at the beach, ideally with a cooler full of White Claws. Racing Days is certainly a local act to keep an eye on, especially if you’re looking well-layered, catchy guitar and lowkey sing-a-longs on late afternoon drives with friends. Listen to the album on Spotify below.