Rapid Fire Reviews – 6/3
Posted: by Sean Gonzalez
Muscle And Marrow – Love
Muscle And Marrow continue to make huge strides in their writing. The Human Cry was good, but their latest offering from Flenser Records, Love, is a new behemoth of creeping euphoria. Dynamically the most impressive thing about the group is their natural ability to have song’s expand with discernibly dark textures. The middle portion of “Womb” shows exactly that, with the vocals dragging over electronic drones and an incredibly slow drum beat. It creates a space that allows for the atmosphere to continuously change and grow, breathing in with every breath and a discharge of cooing vocals from Kira Clark. Wrapped into the album’s identity of love there is the natural feeling of doom right around the corner. Album opener “My Fear” details an interrogation of the self, hoping to discover how to love. By the end of the throbbing drums of Keith McGraw, Clark unwraps into a swirl of tamed vocals — dictating that the earth is all that is left to love. Love is a self aware album about struggling to grasp a concept that is sought after by so many. One could be satisfied knowing that each song is it’s own beat of a wary heart, striving to gain a new mold of hardened skin to find out how to be amorous, especially when the toughest object in the way is our very self. The depth of this record goes beyond that, even tugging at the strength of Clark accepting her femininity in a genre so male dominated. Muscle and Marrow have composed an album that bleeds a sad and personally ambitious record about finding a balance, and the music is claustrophobic at times — really digging at your skin with it’s dark presence. The visceral screams in “Sacs of Teeth” are full of raw and the untamed presence of dissociating from the metaphysical and just being. It’s almost torturous in a way. Love is love, and it is all I want.
Score: 8/10
cllctyrslf – –it started shifting
My favorite thing about cllctyrslf‘s new record –it started shifting is how diverse the palette of sound is. At times it sounds like early 2000s Post-Hardcore, or 2007 indie pop, or 2010 emo and finally like a dream pop nightmare of feelings. Seriously, the songs scattered genres and just play. Nothing is out of the realm of possibility with cllctyrslf and that’s what makes it that much more approachable. The lyrics are rather bitter and open, diving through a mix of feelings about wanting something and realizing as it gets closer you only push it away. “I was razor blades” is an anthemic song about a poisonous relationship not ending, becoming a mix of selfish harm that straddles the wrong sense of passion. The song weaves through different movements with a spastic drum pace, ending in desperation. “Like you want me” rides the coat tails of the same idea, but with a horn section orchestrating behind Lucas Fendlay’s conscious unloading the inner turmoil. “Like you hate me” ends the record at the farthest point from both the singer and anyone else. The only thing surrounding Fendlay is the very thing that they were trying to get rid of, and now it is the very focal point for cllctyrslf and –it started shifting. It makes it that much more special.
Score: 7/10
Faye – Faye
Standing on edge are Faye, at least that is what the record cover for Faye represents. But for a band new to scene, nervous tidbits are lacking. The group sounds tight knit, rolling through energetic punk songs or slowing down for their album closer, “Ancient Bones.” That song really allow Faye to identify just how glossy the Charlotte trio are. The guitar pucks a few notes at a time while the bass roars behind, giving the song a naturally dark texture to close a debut with. Before this song stretches over you like a warm blanket — softly bringing you to that drifting mindset of sleep — Faye spring through songs with an assault of energy. Check out “Chow Chow” for a glimpse at their audible bellows. The bass tone is fuzzy, the drums are rolling through parts of the kit. The song kicks with anecdotal lyrics in iconic punk fashion. For such a young group, their first EP is a stunning collection of thoughts transcribed into five peculiar songs. For those looking for a great indie-punk album, look no further than this. It’s anything but timid.
Score: 6.5/10
