Raising The Fawn
By The Warmth Of Your Flame EP
(Sonic Unyon)
I suppose that by now, this sort of music shouldn't faze me. I've heard many different variations on the jangling, reverbed guitars and soaring vocals, but I'm still not jaded enough to not admit it when something really does it for me. This debut EP by Raising The Fawn is one of those releases. The group will probably find themselves compared to Radiohead (mainly for the vocals of John Crossingham, which soar into falsetto at moments just right to remind you of el Yorke). This trio is from Canada, though, and if you've read been reading my site (or many others) recently, you know that the great white north is hot hot hot right now.
Although this release doesn't reach the dizzying heights that some of their fellow countrymen have kicked out in the last year (Crossingham was also a touring member of Broken Social Scene and the release was produced by David Newfield, who also produced You Forgot It In People.). Oddly enough, the group has also already cut a full-length release, but that will come later (even though it was recorded earlier).
If you're still with me, let me say that the gist of things is that By The Warmth Of Your Flame should leave people hungry for more. 5 songs run almost 30 minutes and the group sprawls in places and keeps it lean in others. After an intro that weaves acoustic and ebowed electric guitar, they kick into gear on "Into Ashes White," a primal sort of rumbler that could easily be the prequel to "There There" from Hail To The Thief. "The Common Cold" takes a completely different direction, opening with some pretty guitar melodies before shifting gears all over the place in the middle, letting loose with bursts of feedback and keyboards before settling back down into a quiet closing. After channeling a bit of Neil Young on "The Chicago World Expo," the disc closes with banjo and vocals on "Country Home." While it's not the most cohesive EP out there, there are bursts of solid and unique songwriting that makes me anxious to hear their forthcoming full-length.
Rating: 7.25
