Wisconsin/Illinois border dwellers The Felix Culpa posted a few tracks online from their upcoming full-length Sever Your Roots-due out January 23rd, complete with a Metro debut of the same date. The four songs are available to be streamed via the band’s myspace (as well as Virb, Facebook, and Purevolume) and a complete track listing as well as a view of the album art can be found here. Reviewsic spoke with Culpa member, Tristan Hammond about their reasons for choosing these particular four tracks instead of any of the others featured on the album, to which he said,“ Picking what songs to put up was a real task. This album wholly and truly works together as one cohesive piece, so picking one song (or even four) that defines it is really hard. And that may sound pretentious, but it was simply really difficult for us to pick a couple songs that truly encapsulated and represented the rest of the album as a whole. We ended up picking these songs because there’s a bit of a stylistic difference in them as far as feel, pace, etc…we think so, at least. haha”
The men behind The Felix Culpa were correct in their thinking, because the simultaneous variety and cohesion between these four songs is impeccable. Right off the bat, in the first track featured, Our Holy Ghosts, any previous Culpa fan will recognize the earnest and slightly imperfect sound that accompanies so many of their songs, but along side that comes another adjective, one we still can’t put our finger on. There’s a new kind of assertion behind the vocals, a power that accompanies Hladish’s voice as it cracks and shifts, showing fault without seeming weak. Its muted intro quickly progresses into powerful bass and percussion that reminded us of the style in Brand New’s 2009 release Daisy.
An Instrument lures its listener in with soft strums and drums, slowly building a crescendo into its layers of sound. There’s a definite momentum and sense of moving forward behind this song that finds its ending point in an arresting combination of drums and choir-like oh-ah’s. The vocals play out like a monologue, sometimes changing their pattern to almost being spoken word, while a simple line of piano plays parallel to the rhythm of the guitar and drums. Most notable in this song is the craft behind it, the way it swells and recedes, molding itself into this finely shaped piece of music that can support itself as well as the application of noise that ties the song off.
Sure to be a crowd favorite, Mutiny starts off with the Culpa favored soft intro, including an interesting dragging and dropping sound along side it’s mellow guitar and synth/organ sounds. However, this quiet beginning is not followed by the typically raucous vocals, but instead allows the song to pick up speed through heavier drum and guitar, while the listener is treated to the Culpa equivalent of crooning. If listening closely, there is more of a variety of sounds and instruments taking place in this song than one can directly name, which by and large may create chaos in a song, but here they are so well placed that they are able melt into one sound up on the surface of the song. Repetition of the lyrics “Everyone is a home unto themselves/But you’ll never be home until you become a home to someone else” throughout the song, and as the finisher is extremely effective, allowing the track to really leave a mark on it’s listener.
The last teaser track offered online is Because This Is How We Speak, one that varies from the more aggressive appeal of the others and instead builds on a lighter, more simplistic sound. Though less intense, it is still an attention grabber with its over lapping vocals and crisp guitar, that plays well against the rolling drum beats and bass line that accompany it. During the break for it’s chorus there’s a moment where we sensed a little hint of Mew, albeit a deeper, slightly darker Mew, but still the same whispery, haunting quality within its grasp. The sound swings back into a sound that is very much The Felix Culpa’s own, and we can guarantee that this song will not disappoint anyone.
Needless to say, these four tracks do nothing to satisfy one’s hunger for new music by the quartet, but instead tauntingly add to the desire for more. We’re sure their online community of fans are just aching as they mark off the days leading up to the record’s release- we know we are.
Check back with Reviewsic Thursday, January 21st to read our full interview with The Felix Culpa.
The album is available for pre-order in a special edition CD, as well as on vinyl. Get yours today
Visit The Felix Culpa at:
Sever Your Roots CD Release Show
Presented by Betta Promotions:
The Felix Culpa
Loyal Divide
Robbers
Suns
January 23rd at The Metro
$11/$8 with a flyer or Metro text
$6 Adv. Discounted tickets with password “betta”
