ALBUM REVIEW: Annie In The Water - Migration EP
*This review originally appeared in our August 2025 issue*
Photo by Dan Thompson
“With tasty melodies and deep pockets, this EP is a succinct group of tight tunes that will have you going back to track one no sooner than track five is over.”
Elation hit when I was presented the opportunity to review the newest release from not just a local, but now regional staple, Annie In The Water (AITW). A band that has continued to grow over their decade-plus tenure on the scene, AITW transverses genres, seamlessly weaving in and out of them while keeping people on their toes. While they tend to be lumped in as a jam band, they offer a much wider appeal than that, which is put on full display with their latest offering: a new EP titled, Migration.
Cool grooves, soaring vocals, and a strong penchant for songwriting are all present. Recorded live in studio over two days in November of 2024 with overdubs added over the course of two additional days in January of 2025, AITW delivers an EP that scratches the itch for jam band fans, while also proving their genre-bending prowess beyond a doubt. With tasty melodies and deep pockets, this EP is a succinct group of tight tunes that will have you going back to track one no sooner than track five is over. What may be the most compelling aspect is that each track was written by a different band member.
Looking at the song titles, they might feel a bit on the nose with the EP’s title, however the songs go much deeper than that in their lyrical content. Pointing to changes in others, the world around them, and even themselves, Migration isn’t just about physical locations and distances, but the emotional and mental ones as well. Right away, the first two tracks are highlights— “Tangled Up,” written by bass player Chris Meier, with a lyrical assist from lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, Brad Hester, and “Birds,” written by keyboardist Matthew Richards.
“Tangled Up” comes right out of the gate with a catchy guitar line that makes way for a hefty groove and gliding vocals being decorated by electric piano. This sets the tone for the song, as it mainly follows this groove with changing melodies until we arrive at the solo section, which gets into the jammier side of things, never getting in its own way and simply serving the song rather than the jam itself.
The mood changes with “Birds,” with some nice ‘80s sounding synths over clean guitar, setting up a nice groove when the bass and drums kick in. From here things dial back for a bit until the hook hits and man, it's catchy, asking: “What are you doing tomorrow? Wanna wake up for the sunrise and get into my car and drive one hundred miles? We could watch the birds first take flight to the morning skies, fly high. We could fall in love and smile as we lock eyes.” I think it's fair to say most would take the drive with this song cooking on some nice speakers and the windows down with their respective love interest.
The rest of the five songs, starting with “Angelfish,” take things in a different direction, with a strong Americana flavor, and then ‘90s jam band vibes (a la Blues Traveler and The Spin Doctors) with “Wings of The Birds” and “Wings of Travel,” which is a reprise of the same song off of AITW’s 2010 album, Destinations. In typical fashion for this band, they pull off what should be a jarring change of pace, turning into a sound that you didn’t even know you wanted from them. In keeping with the theme, it’s safe to say that this feels like the perfect jumping off point for the band's next migration.
Migration is out now on all major streaming services. For more information, visit the band’s website at annieinthewater.com