Overreactivist

by Wakey Wakey

Overview

Wakey Wakey's passionate third LP, Overreactivist, opens with swelling strings and twinkling piano, where frontman Michael Grubbs finds his love heartbroken and hopeless. Instead of giving in, he urges them to hold on, just as the cleansing "Adam & Eve" sparkles to life. Here, he promises a fresh start for his Eve, but it's also a plea for rebirth and the salvation of a broken society. This sentiment is central on Overreactivist, a deeply personal journey of love and hope in a time when things don't always go as planned. After he switched things up with the pure pop of his 2014 sophomore effort, Grubbs has returned to the sound of his debut, where he utilized driving piano melodies to propel his story forward, much like the heart-on-the-sleeve piano pop of Ben Folds or Five for Fighting. His vocals push the subject matter to unabashedly earnest heights, at points sounding like Foreigner's Lou Gramm ("Freeze") or even Neil Diamond ("C'est la Vie"). Emotional and heartfelt, Grubbs lifts the spirit with a narrative that is vaguely political, tiptoeing between the personal and the big picture, resonating on multiple levels. As the title suggests, these are glimpses of how Grubbs (over)reacts to life, the disillusionment that might follow, and the need to keep going. In fact, that hope connects everything on Overreactivist, with at least four songs including lyrics reassuring that things will be "alright" ("Overreactivist," "Golden," "Freeze," and "Still Life"). This earnest positivity is undeniable, making even the harder-edged subjects on "Homeless Poets," "Cruel You," and "Stop Turning" seem empowering. Among the brightest points on the album, "Light & Nothing More" stands out. As a touching, purely poignant declaration of love that is readymade for the first dance at countless weddings, it is completely romantic and free of any uncertainty. At the close, Grubbs seems resigned to his lost love, or a lost society, before turning it all around. "The world will go on turning...the sun still shines upon you." After 13 songs of such sentiment, it's convincing enough to make even the most disheartened cynic a believer that one day everything might be alright. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Product Details

Release Date:	02/26/2016
Label:	The End / Warner Bros.
UPC:	0654436070429

Tracks

1. Introduction
2. Heartbroke
3. Adam & Eve
4. Overreactivist
5. Golden
6. Homeless Poets
7. Freeze
8. Cruel You
9. Big Town Love
10. Stop Turning
11. Still Life
12. Light & Nothing More
13. C'est la Vie

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Wakey Wakey   Primary Artist
Tony Maimone   Bass,Synthesizer
Chris Cubeta   Bass,Drums,Guitar,Harmonium,Keyboards,Percussion
Gene Back   Violin
Elliot Jacobson   Drums
Melissa Tong   Violin
Zach Jones   Drums
Michael Grubbs   Piano,Vocals,Keyboards
Lessie Vonner   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
John Cortez   Featured Artist
Julie Grubbs   Synthesizer
Kenyette Belle   Featured Artist
Mary Clementi   Director
Michael Rondon, Jr.   Featured Artist
Nyree Rodriguez   Featured Artist
River Johnson   Featured Artist
Sadia Perez   Featured Artist
Tiger Darrow   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Chris Cubeta   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Jens Gad   Composer
Shawn Joseph   Mastering
Jeff Berner   Assistant
Danny Lanzetta   Assistant
Gary Atturio   Assistant
Michael Grubbs   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Christy Thompson   Composer
Devin Toye   Producer
Richard Salino   Assistant
Christopher Cruz   Logo,Cover Layout
Caroline Boursereau   Marketing
Chris Hund   Design
Jonathan Bova   Producer
Michelle Meged   Artwork,Cover Art