Fever Moon – God’s Heart
Fever Moon – God’s Heart – EP Review
It was towards the end of last year that I first got turned onto the music of Fever Moon and got to check out a couple albums back-to-back to review here at our pages. I really dig the music that Jay Holmes tends to create along with his band in Fever Moon…it’s got that whole rare gem feeling to it, like you’ve tapped into something you know for a fact most people still don’t know about, and that is part of what gives it that special edge over anything else on your playlists. It’s like that incredible discovery you put on long after the party is over and the effects of everything you’ve consumed for the evening have all but worn off completely, and you’re left with that fuzzy warm glow you just want to cocoon yourself in.
Opening up with the title-track from the record, Fever Moon kicks things into full gear pretty quick here on this new EP, and unleashes that familiar mix of gritty, melodic sound we know & love. “God’s Heart” is a solid example of the kind of music that Jay’s band is known to create…all-in-all, it’s a really good representation of the Fever Moon vibe if you ask me. I’m not gonna be the guy to say they’ve got my favorite track up front here, but it’s a great start if you like the band to begin with – “God’s Heart” feels like we’re continuing on from where we last left off, and has the enticing energy you wanna hear to get ya interested in this latest offering. Big points for the meltdown ending they put into this first track – I liked what I heard along the way for sure, but I love the way the tape seems to disintegrate and halt at the very end…that’s the kind of clever detail I really dig finding in music I’m listening to. They really do come storming outta the gate right from the drop of track one though, and I think a whole lot of people out there listening will appreciate the direct way they seek to earn your attention with “God’s Heart.” There are absolutely stellar backing vocals to be found behind Jay on this first slice from the latest EP.
Fever Moon has always been one of those really interesting bands to me since I started listening to’em last year. It’s like you get this mix of extreme passion, dedication, and effort…yet it still has this natural and organic sound to it all that can feel like it’s proudly unpolished and/or even a lil’ bit on the dirty side, know what I mean? I listen to a track like “Old Ghost Ruin” and think to myself that, sure, Jay could get himself back in the studio and attempt to shine up a few spots in the vocals here and there, and it would probably take a lot of what I love about the realness of the music they make – but chances are, even if he did another run through it all, we’d end up with the parts we felt needed polishing getting what they need, and likely a few other different spots would now need the same treatment instead – you see what I’m saying? It’s not really a matter of flat tones & such, it’s just an energy that’s inherent in the way that Jay chooses to sing his songs is all…I feel like if you get it, you get it, and if you don’t, you don’t – simple as that. What we’re really talking about ultimately, is a signature sound y’all…identity in music…one of the most crucial things you can ever hope to have in an artist’s or band’s career – Jay’s got that nailed down tight already, and if I had to hazard a guess about how many songs & records he’ll go on to create, I’d tell ya we’re still just at the tip of the spear. Love the level of distortion he likes to use with his guitar, and I’m genuinely in awe of how well it still translates his melodies. Underneath all the rough edges and the gruffness you’ll find in his vocals, the dude makes music with a whole lotta heart, and I’d go as far as to say that just about every track you’ll find in the Fever Moon catalog speaks volumes on behalf of that.
“Parasitic Sympathy” seems like the kind of song that will be universally enjoyed by one & all…it’s got all the hallmarks of single-worthy melody right from the very start, and I’ll fully admit, it works the magic on me every time I spin my way through this record. The major crime here is that this song is less than 2:30 in total length…and while I don’t wanna ever recommend that someone out there goes ahead and starts exploiting their own material & all…at the same time, don’t leave anything on the table either, you dig? I feel like “Parasitic Sympathy” probably could have gotten away with being twice its length and no one out there would have remotely complained…in fact, even at double the size, we might very well still have wanted more in that instance. If we’re talkin’ about what the single is on this record, I’m tellin’ ya as directly as possible, there is actually NO DEBATE to be had – this is it, period, end of sentence. Why? LISTEN TO IT, and you’ll know exactly why – because that’s what authentically universal sound sounds like. Even the solo around the 1:45 mark helps this song steal the show…I love the way that it expands straight to the fringe of its fraying & decaying sound, yet provides one of the most vibrant sparks to be found in “Parasitic Sympathy” – I might want a second helping of everything in this track from verse to chorus to its instrumental breakdown finale, but it’s basically pure sonic perfection already as it is y’all.
I’d probably put out “Foolin’” out right after “Parasitic Sympathy” as a single/gateway into this record – and in some ways, I’d even believe that there’s a chance the masses might connect with “Foolin’” even more if I’m being real with ya. I suppose it’s the difference between what a hook is versus what melody provides…and even though both of those elements can play a role in what the other does, you get more of a hook-driven sound on “Parasitic Sympathy,” whereas you’ll find the main strengths of “Foolin’” are contained within its delicate melody. All-in-all, “Foolin’” really tackles a hard part of what relationships are all about if you ask me. There can always be different interpretations of any songs we listen to, and I’ve only got theories about what this song is really all about, but to me, it was about the freedom you find within the arms of another person that doesn’t have any expectations of you, or know what you’re really like beyond the magic of a moment – make sense? Someone that doesn’t know what the shit-stains of your laundry might be like…someone that doesn’t know you just wanna be alone for the first five minutes of a morning…”someone that’s tempted not to care” because they don’t have to invest in anything beyond the immediacy of a moment and what it’s calling for. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a happily married man for fifteen years, together with my wife for nearly nineteen in total, and I’m loyal as fuck – but the concept of a song like “Foolin’” and the situation it presents ain’t beyond me. The idea that you could spend time with someone that will “never feel like they owe” ya, can seem pretty damn cool sometimes, even to those of us that are fully attached, if not especially so in the case of “Foolin.’”
It’s a strong set of six overall, and if you were already a fan of Fever Moon like myself, I can’t imagine anyone out there being remotely disappointed by any of the cuts in this lineup. Like any record you can think of under the sun, or moon in this particular case, obviously we’re all gonna find our favorites and whatnot, but Fever Moon has done an exceptional job of giving any of these tracks a legitimate shot of being your go-to song for the summer. “The Lost Boys” for example, might not even rank in my top three tracks of this EP overall, it’s still commendably close, and just because it’d be outside of the half of the record I like best doesn’t mean it’s not a track that still savagely holds its own. “There’s just no substitute for sin” is a wicked line to start a song with, especially one like this that you can tell is designed to be turned UP to help you rock the fuck on out, know what I mean? Jay’s got a genuinely great way of revealing the beautiful cracks in what makes us human, and would probably be among the first to tell ya we’re all inherently flawed in the most perfect ways. “The Lost Boys” moves through your speakers quickly as the shortest track on the new EP, and much similar to how you probably felt about “Parasitic Symphony” earlier on in the set, you’ll likely wish you got a minute or two more of this as well.
It’s a known fact that, if you read my previous reviews on Fever Moon’s music, you’ll find they’ve got a real sweet spot in a song that’ll tend to reveal the heart of their gritty melodies that much more than any of the rest, and I’d reckon that honor goes to “If I Lose” this time around. Jay’s lyricism is always a strength, either for its uniqueness, it’s poetically indie street-cred, or for its thought-provoking nature – and yet, it’s tracks like “If I Lose” that completely prove it can often be the simplest things we do as songwriters that achieve the most impactful and/or memorable results. The chorus of “If I Lose” is the paramount example when it comes right down to it…it’s not complex, it’s not overly ambitious, it’s actually quite simple, straight-ahead, sincere, direct, honest, and vulnerable – those are the kind of ingredients that can end up making the tastiest recipe for success. That stunning main hook you’ll find in the chorus of “If I Lose” is pretty much guaranteed to pull at everyone’s heartstrings for a moment or two, and it’s got that genuine magic you wanna hear within music that’ll truly move you. The most you’re gonna find me conceding to ya here is that I don’t know if I ever felt like I made my mind up as to what track was my ultimate favorite between the brilliant catchiness of “Parasitic Sympathy,” or the sparklingly sweet sound of “If I Lose” and the highlight of its chorus. I suppose if we’re talking about what makes a song from start to finish, I could probably be persuaded that it’s “Parasitic Sympathy” – but if we’re talking about the real magic of a singular moment and how it can define an entire song, I’d likely very much lean towards “If I Lose” at the very end of God’s Heart. At the end of the day, you’ve gotta appreciate the perfect execution & simplicity of this last track, and how organically mesmerizing it is…whether or not it’s our favorite track aside, it’s one heck of a remarkable cut to finish this new EP.
Make sure to find out more about Fever Moon from the official page at Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/fevermoonband
Find out what we do & how we do it at sleepingbagstudios, and be the next up on our pages by clicking here!
