First off, I’d just like to say that I have never been a big fan of Folk music, being raised on the Stones, Pink Floyd, ZZ Top, Aerosmith and a little Phil Collins. I approached this album with a skeptic’s heart, but I was determined to give it a try.
I’m usually the first one to say “I told you so”, but I am also always the first to admit when I am wrong.
I was wrong.
Mourning the Whale, from Pennsylvania Indie-Folk artist Fencewalker, is set to be released in July, 2012. The debut release is a light, easy flowing record with guitar and drum instrumentals that fit neatly into your playlist on a long drive on a rainy day. The whole album keeps to a homegrown, non-commercialized premise that really stays true to the core of Folk Music.
The first track, “Shoulders,” starts out a little muddled, as the background instruments seem to be playing two different sheets of music and often clash, causing a dissonance that throws the track off. Not to judge an album by its intro track, one can actually get into the folk style and envision an artist that describes her work environment as “me, fruity loops, and a cat in a basement with a resonator, and a piano, and whatever else I can accumulate.”
Getting your grove on, you can feel the whole album really opening up into a smooth talking story, and you are ready to listen. “Bets off,” “Fort” and “Religion” are all heavier melodies with silky, sultry vocals that lull you while you’re listening, accompanied by bass heavy instrumentals that are not overbearing in their delivery.
The last track on Mourning the Whale, “Deceived,” is a perfect ending track for the album. Medium paced with heavy guitar instrumentals and ambient chords the song crashes off the walls of your brain as it plays on, and continues to hum in your head long after the music stops.
Fencewalker belts out an album with a good foundation, and I definitely recommend everyone take a listen to this album, and keep an eye on the Artist, if only to see the great works ahead.