[rating=6.00]
The folk/pop outfit The National Parks has all but dropped the folk from their resume as they offer the positive pop of Places Deluxe to the world. Focusing more on electronic swells and arena-ready hooks, the five-piece based in Provo, Utah (Brady Parks- guitar and lead vocals, Megan Taylor Parks- fiddle and vocals, Sydney Macfarlane- keyboards, John Hancock electric guitar and vocals, and Cam Brannelly-drums) are shooting for mass appeal with their alt/mainstream offerings ala Head and the Heart and The Lumineers.
The opening track states the group’s ambition. “Places” kicks everything off with huge ohh and ahhs, combined with the shouted title in the chorus; these vocals lend perfectly to festival sing-alongs. The soft marching beat, light violin work and breathy backing vocals complete the picture as the commercial appeal is clear and present. “Lights in the City” continues this trend pumping up the tempo along with the electro vibes via keyboards and buzzing; a perfect soundtrack for selling cars or a new app.
The band wears its pop desires on its sleeve, never shying away as “Costa Rica” goes for just a smidge of global appeal over mindless lyrics but infectious sounds. “At The Heart” starts delicate with a focus on Brady Parks vocals but overdoes it with effects as robotic background sounds is off-putting immediately while another almost duet between the Parks’, “Esperanca” is tween first kiss awkward fun.
The National Parks knows its audience as it sings about those innocent sweet kisses, pretty nature, city streets (that are always clean and bright without crime or homelessness) and most importantly, hearts that swell like their songs. “The Future” and “The Fire” both subscribe to these tenants with huge arena-ready pop hooks and verses while “1953” incorporates old-timey tape recordings to bludgeon the retro point home; there is nothing subtle about Places Deluxe.
This sugary directness can be overkill, however, credit should be given as the band never shies away from these mainstream desires and the production pulls out all the musical stops while keeping Brady Parks vocals warm in those wholesome ears.
The players rarely go the less-is-more route; however, “Beautiful Night” has a pleasant piano ballad base and the sweet building “Currents” reaches an organic plateau. “Places (Reprise)” begins instrumental and would have worked even better if it had stayed that way. The band offers up a few, B-sides (“Come Closer” & “Penny”), acoustic demos and remixes so that Places earns Deluxe addition.
Pop scrubbed clean and targeted for the mainstream, The National Parks are shooting for the small screen, big screen and most importantly the spotlight; with Places Deluxe they just might find it.
