Fair To Midland - inter.funda.stifle
by James

The sophomore slump is something that has plagued many bands on both the local and national level. The problem is often compounded when your first release is widely considered to be something of a maserpiece. Mind you, Carbon Copy Silver Lining certainly left Fair To Midland with plenty of room for growth, but there was hardly anything genuinely "wrong" with it. I went into this CD hoping they had trimmed back their attempts at being a heavier band and given Andrew's vocal range more opportunity to shine. Even with that mindset, I don't think I was fully prepared for what Fair To Midland put together on this new album. I think a lot of the fans of Carbon Copy Silver Lining are going to be in for a shock when they get their ears on this one. Inter.funda.stifle finds a much more mellowed out Fair To Midland than we saw two years ago. They have matured greatly in every aspect of their songwriting and Andrew's voice has developed a much broader range. This new outing finds the vocals and music working together to create a mélange of sonic textures. I suppose it is possible that I just never noticed it on the last album, but the electronics seem to play a much more prominent role this time around, as well. Every instrument on this album works together to create a single, cohesive work. The end result is a package that is far greater than the sum of its parts. It's not so much that they went in a more melodic direction as it is that they went in every direction. From soothing ballads to power rock anthems to whatever you would call Cipieron, each song grabs you and takes you on a ride of emotional lows and highs. I hesitate to say this, but I can not help drawing comparisons to the art rock bands of the 70s when I listen to inter.funda.stifle. There is that strange quality to the songs that Rush, Styx and Yes brought to the table. Maybe I am just really glad to hear a band that isn't whining about their mommies. I'm also glad these guys didn't get the urge to be all the metal you can be. While I publicly and vocally celebrate metal's continuing rise in popularity, albums like this are a true breath of fresh air.