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To write a "colorful" review, I had to wait a bit during this murky and useless summer, but eventually, I managed to find the right material. And here we are, the Texans Fair To Midland are just what I need. Discovered from anonymity by Serj Tankian in 2008, despite already having 2 albums to their name, they were placed under his label and produced a remarkable album produced by David Bottrill (does Tool and King Crimson ring a bell? (and Negramaro? ahah, sorry, but it's true)) and off I went, licking my ears with pleasure. It was time to reaffirm such compositional and technical excellence, and that's exactly what happened, only this time everything was coordinated by Joe "guitarsgrassississisimimelvinstoolcazzovelodicoafà" Barresi.
"Arrows & Anchors" I personally find stunningly beautiful. Nothing innovative, if you are looking for that, look elsewhere, but it's a reshuffling of prog principles in a more than modern fashion in a way that a lot of contemporary bands who boast such a title struggle to achieve, in such an enjoyably "pop" manner, damn it. The start is, for me, masterly, with the scarring and nervous guitars of "Whiskey & Ritalin" opening up to the vocal melody of Darroh Sudderth, fantastic, only to dive headfirst back into a tangle of nails and nerves. The first single released, "Musical Chairs" opens with a prog metal air interrupted by a terrifying guttural scream, and the lesson of the Porcupine Tree is immediately felt, acoustic guitars caress electric melodies and piano, Darroh spreads his wings to the heights of Cedric from Mars Volta, and the trick is done; if they don't make it big with this one, then goodbye for real. The true gem that made my toes curl with pleasure is "Amarillo Sleeps On My Pillow", which offers this moment of Texas banjo playing to transform into a river of full-blown electric sadness, the guitars climbing peaks of gloom. Evil knocks at the door with the otherworldly screams of "Rikki Tikki Tavi" dancing gutturally on circular obsidian riffs only to fade into a chant of request, the piano is the ideal travel companion, but the pain is not over. The final "The Greener Grass" is definitely a suite birthed by Wilson & co, long and melancholic, a journey on a sea from another planet.
Oooh, finally I can refill the jar with ice cream again, as the sand was already gone.
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By Orla
A highly successful genre change, I’d say, which makes the Texans much more well-known than they were before.
Upon the first listen, it simultaneously leaves the listener bewildered and transports them to another universe, as only Fair to Midland can do.
