Review: Fossil Youth – ‘A Glimpse Of Self Joy’
Posted: by Hannah
Have you ever gone outside in the moments before a storm and felt the palpable energy? It’s an invincible feeling, because it is both potentially risky and seemingly safe.
Fossil Youth’s new album A Glimpse of Self Joy strays from their past releases without compromising any integrity as musicians. “Watercolor Daydream” and “We’re Caving In” contrast warm guitar work with icy smooth vocals to create an atmosphere that keeps you attentive. Scottie Noonan’s voice is more melodic than ever, able to create rhythm and portray the emotion demanded on any track switching between gruff and soulful in seconds. It quickly becomes apparent that FY not only have a new found freedom, which allows for “Late Night Swim” to take up a deserving 4:31, but also a creativity and compassion for their art as the previous track flows seamlessly into “Minco”. At this point the album distinguishes itself from being just a presentation of talents, to being a thoughtful collection and an album in every sense of the word.
The warmth in the first 6 tracks begins to disappear and is replaced by a buildup of dark clouds and electricity that finally breaks in the downpour of “Sitting In A Spinning Room”, the album’s peak. The emotionally charged ballad is a storyteller of pain that we can all relate to although it’s clearly springs from a place very personal with direct lyrics like “You wanted peace and quiet / / drifting through your system / it’s not fair at all that you should do this alone”. Lightning continues to strike in “Open Shut” showcasing the band’s ability to use soft-loud elements with a purpose to have you not only hear the music, but feel it too. The thunder rolls into echoing, dreamy guitar and cymbal heavy drumming on “Monochrome”.
A Glimpse of Self Joy is a provoking listening experience, a risk that turned out to be safe because it’s undeniably impressive. Fossil Youth let go of song structure and genre normalities to gain a sound that is very much their own. It has a nostalgia reminiscent of early Mayday Parade or Emarosa mixed with fresher elements likened to Balance and Composure or Pianos Become The Teeth. Whether part of the album’s purposefulness or not, AGOJ is seasonally relevant to autumn / winter which only further intensifies it’s invigorating darkness. While most of the time the instrumentals are blended masterfully in layers, each has their moments to stand out and even the vocals themselves move to the background at times. The lyrics switch between emotional or visual, using almost all of your senses by the time “you don’t need me at all” is sung.
You enter AGOJ in momentarily bliss but soon the storm rolls in and you’re captivated by its potential to be something both spectacular and somber. It doesn’t just pass over or rain, it pours and it pours but you’ll sit through it all and come out comforted that you’re not alone. We are all both dark and light, soft and loud, numbness and pain. It’s a glimpse at being human, at being real, and most important A Glimpse of Self Joy.
8/10
A Glimpse of Self Joy is out on 11/2 on vinyl, tape, CD, and digital on Take This To Heart Records.
