Album Review: Life’s Design Of Mind by The Wishlist

by Caroline North

The Wishlist’s five-song debut, Life’s Design Of Mind, boasts at least a few memorable, if not great, tracks. However, there are also a couple of awkward moments on the album, when it is unclear what kind of band The Wishlist intends to be. The majority of the time, their music could be classified as charming piano rock, but occasionally it edges towards predictable, top 40 alternative.

Such is the case with “Reflections Of Me,” the second track and my least favorite. The first fifteen seconds are promising (the intro actually sounds a little like Bloc Party), but when the lead singer joins in with the angst-ridden line, “I’m drowning in a sea found in between my ego and my insecurities,” it kind of ruins the fun.

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Then again, if we’re being honest here, that brand of self-criticism is found all over the radio these days, so it’s not as if The Wishlist is doing anything new or wrong by jumping on the bandwagon, which might, in itself, be part of the problem. Life’s Design Of Mind doesn’t always feel terribly original.

But just when the album is in danger of being uninteresting, The Wishlist finds its rightful place in the piano rock genre. “Nova” has that irresistible, Coldplay-esque appeal generated by soaring piano, dreamy guitar, and tight harmonies. Similarly enchanting are the last two songs, the title track and “This Is Love.”

The Wishlist’s softer moments are their most winning, and it’s only when they stray from that formula that they falter. Even still, a critical listener may not find anything new here. But the music is accessible enough that the average listener (who doesn’t necessarily care about originality) will be more than satisfied.

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TheWishlist, says:

By Life's Design Of Mind, the new Wishlist EP with irresistible, Coldplay-esque appeal generated by soaring piano, dreamy guitar, and tight harmonies at wishlistrecords.com or myspace.com/mywishlist