Steve Henderson
01/24/08, 09:44 AM
The New Frontiers – Mending
Release Date: January 15, 2008 (digital) | March 25, 2008 (physical)
Record Label: The Militia Group
It is an interesting contrast – for as much praise as so-called “summer albums” receive, with their brand of driving-fast/windows-down rock, it seems that a considerably smaller group of listeners extol the virtues of a truly great winter album. You know – the kind of record that requires car windows to be closed to hear the muted nuances in a band’s introspections. The kind of album whose mood seems to echo that of the slow-moving, frosty days around it. And this is certainly the category that The New Frontiers’ Mending would fall into. The record is well-paced and beautiful, all with an attention to detail and maturity that is staggering for a debut effort - a warm companion piece to chilly January nights.
The New Frontiers have the sort of sound that is at once both familiar and new – you almost get the sense you might have heard the band before, but at the same time, it is tough to peg them down as being overly similar to any other bands out there at the moment. Their tunes are soft and contemplative, but never slow to the point of being boring or sedate. And this is a key point, since as your ears sharpen up to the songs at hand, they will pick up on the subtleties that make them all so memorable. If you were going to describe The New Frontiers in more common musical terms, one would have to say that they would be indie-pop/rock with alt-country leanings and an understated sense of euro-rock majesty. Not a bad mix at all.
It does not take long to develop an appreciation towards what Mending is all about, as the opener, “Black Lungs,” says a lot by itself. The blaring guitar swells and frontman Nathan Pettijohn’s breathy delivery recall images of the Stereophonics at their best, but with a polish that Kelly Jones and crew never really had. A strong tune, sure, but it is what comes after it that really matters. From “The Day You Fell Apart” on, The New Frontiers give us perhaps one of the best streaks of songs you are bound to hear in a long, long time. The aforementioned track’s heart-breaking vocal harmonies, instrumental layerings, and emotional lyrics give the song an emotional weight quite uncommon in modern music. “Man Down” then leans back towards rock territory, awash in Oasis-esque guitar arrangements – an incredibly solid piece, but truly pales in comparison to what follows. A poignant, vivid masterpiece, “Mirrors,” is easily one of the most perfectly-written songs I have heard in my lifetime. Everything about it is just so damn incredible – the way the placid verses so confidently stand on their own, the tastefully applied keys, the exhausting attention to detail, and how everything crescendos into a chorus that cannot be described as anything but epic. The band can still pull out other tricks as well, all equally as notable – there is the minimalist acoustic number anchored by Pettijohn’s angelic falsetto (“Passing On”), the patient, emotive anthem (“This Is My Home”), and the haunting, delicate “Walking on Stones” that resonates in all the right ways. It is quite an accomplishment, then, that the album’s only stumbling block is “Spirit and Skin,” and even this is quickly washed away by the tracks that bookend it.
Overall, I can say with a clear head that with Mending, The New Frontiers have probably created one of the best albums I have heard on the last few years. Had it been released in either of the past two, it would have easily topped my year-end lists, and it will likely do the same for this year. Mending is a truly timeless piece – outside of the stellar production from Matt Goldman (genius, that man), there is little to tell you when this record could have been recorded – something that will make the album one to be enjoyed well into the future. With its gorgeous vocals, thoughtful lyrics, and skillful musicianship, Mending is the most exciting thing The Militia Group has put out since Copeland's Beneath Medicine Tree. It then says a lot that this might actually even be the superior product.
Kings of Convenience, Coldplay, Keane, Copeland, Sleeping at Last, Cassino
Release Date: January 15, 2008 (digital) | March 25, 2008 (physical)
Record Label: The Militia Group
It is an interesting contrast – for as much praise as so-called “summer albums” receive, with their brand of driving-fast/windows-down rock, it seems that a considerably smaller group of listeners extol the virtues of a truly great winter album. You know – the kind of record that requires car windows to be closed to hear the muted nuances in a band’s introspections. The kind of album whose mood seems to echo that of the slow-moving, frosty days around it. And this is certainly the category that The New Frontiers’ Mending would fall into. The record is well-paced and beautiful, all with an attention to detail and maturity that is staggering for a debut effort - a warm companion piece to chilly January nights.
The New Frontiers have the sort of sound that is at once both familiar and new – you almost get the sense you might have heard the band before, but at the same time, it is tough to peg them down as being overly similar to any other bands out there at the moment. Their tunes are soft and contemplative, but never slow to the point of being boring or sedate. And this is a key point, since as your ears sharpen up to the songs at hand, they will pick up on the subtleties that make them all so memorable. If you were going to describe The New Frontiers in more common musical terms, one would have to say that they would be indie-pop/rock with alt-country leanings and an understated sense of euro-rock majesty. Not a bad mix at all.
It does not take long to develop an appreciation towards what Mending is all about, as the opener, “Black Lungs,” says a lot by itself. The blaring guitar swells and frontman Nathan Pettijohn’s breathy delivery recall images of the Stereophonics at their best, but with a polish that Kelly Jones and crew never really had. A strong tune, sure, but it is what comes after it that really matters. From “The Day You Fell Apart” on, The New Frontiers give us perhaps one of the best streaks of songs you are bound to hear in a long, long time. The aforementioned track’s heart-breaking vocal harmonies, instrumental layerings, and emotional lyrics give the song an emotional weight quite uncommon in modern music. “Man Down” then leans back towards rock territory, awash in Oasis-esque guitar arrangements – an incredibly solid piece, but truly pales in comparison to what follows. A poignant, vivid masterpiece, “Mirrors,” is easily one of the most perfectly-written songs I have heard in my lifetime. Everything about it is just so damn incredible – the way the placid verses so confidently stand on their own, the tastefully applied keys, the exhausting attention to detail, and how everything crescendos into a chorus that cannot be described as anything but epic. The band can still pull out other tricks as well, all equally as notable – there is the minimalist acoustic number anchored by Pettijohn’s angelic falsetto (“Passing On”), the patient, emotive anthem (“This Is My Home”), and the haunting, delicate “Walking on Stones” that resonates in all the right ways. It is quite an accomplishment, then, that the album’s only stumbling block is “Spirit and Skin,” and even this is quickly washed away by the tracks that bookend it.
Overall, I can say with a clear head that with Mending, The New Frontiers have probably created one of the best albums I have heard on the last few years. Had it been released in either of the past two, it would have easily topped my year-end lists, and it will likely do the same for this year. Mending is a truly timeless piece – outside of the stellar production from Matt Goldman (genius, that man), there is little to tell you when this record could have been recorded – something that will make the album one to be enjoyed well into the future. With its gorgeous vocals, thoughtful lyrics, and skillful musicianship, Mending is the most exciting thing The Militia Group has put out since Copeland's Beneath Medicine Tree. It then says a lot that this might actually even be the superior product.
Kings of Convenience, Coldplay, Keane, Copeland, Sleeping at Last, Cassino