There’s a ton of pressure on any child growing up in the shadow of their parents. It’s an especially hard thing when your parents are legitimate celebrities. It’s hard to imagine that most people feel that anything you have achieved Is a direct result of having said folks. Especially if your said folks are legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg and actress Kate Capshaw. Enter Theo and Sasha Spielberg, yes children of said celebrities but also huge talents in their own right. The siblings, under the moniker Wardell, have just released their debut album, Impossible Falcon, and it’s definitely and defiantly something they have done on the basis of their own talents and little to do with the family they come from. Multi instrumentalist Theo and vocalist Sasha have crafted a debut that is heartfelt, wondrous and wholly original.

The album kicks off with lead single, “I’m A Man” with its stuttered synth lines and Sasha’s ethereal vocals. It sets a lovely tone that guides the listener into the rest of what will come. “Never Is The Word” follows this up with something a little more upbeat but equally heartfelt. The vocal melody that hits in the chorus is so hooky that it’ll have you fully onboard with what the siblings are laying down. There’s a really special dynamic with sibling bands. Wardell definitely has this. It’s an ease, an effortlessness to the songs that can only come from a collaboration between people that are so comfortable with each other. It’s something that encapsulates the entirety of Impossible Falcon. “Stuff Gets You Off” feels like the quintessential song of anyone trying to navigate a romance in this day and age. The smooth production and easy instrumentation belie the sentiment on display. It’s a nice juxtaposition. There’s a lot on this record that calls back to a breezier time production wise. “Domestic Sweater” has a late 90s, early 00s pop vibe akin to Dido or Frou Frou. Again, seemingly breezy but with Sasha bringing a levity that is uncommon with most pop music.

It all just comes down to talent. And talent is something Wardell has in spades, despite being the children of other talented people. The running time of their debut is quick but it hits hard. It’s pop music for people that just don’t want something that’s easy and breezy but can appreciate something that feels easy and breezy but is infinitely relatable. Impossible Falcon signals the emergence of a couple new talents, that may have inherited a little bit of this and that from their famous parents but have earned it all on their own.

review by Adam Fink