Freelance Whales

Freelance Whales

Some bands work hard at putting their liberal arts degrees to good use, deploying humanities-based critical-thinking skills beyond sophomore literature. Case in point: Queens, N.Y., quintet Freelance Whales, whose second LP Diluvia opens with the dreamy "Aeolus," named for, as we all know, the Greek ruler of the winds. Naturally, the song evokes wind chimes with a layered orchestra of voices, tinkles, and plunks, as Diluvia's narrative gets borne into worlds beyond ours, exploring space for new galaxies and life-forms. While "Red Star" evokes a childlike fantasy of bouncing weightlessly, romantically among the heavens, channeling the best of Arcade Fire (sans bombast) along the way, closer "Emergence Exit" burns up upon re-entry, with singer Judah Dadone engaging in just a soupçon too much navel-gazing. (1:15pm, Honda stage)