Fugue - YEARS

Could there be a better time to hear Fugue’s new album than the autumn? Kind of like the mosaic of leaves that swirls around one’s head, Fugue’s YEARS is often a collage of interlaced guitar, keyboard, and bass melodies that combine to give birth to some larger, unified feeling. Unlike a lot of guitar-driven instrumental rock, YEARS resists repeating simple and catchy melodic hooks; rather, the album presents kick-ass melodic lines but allows them to permutate in new shades as each song transforms.

Taken as a whole, each of the songs on YEARS generally has a melancholic quality to it, but it’s one that is complex and rich. Each of the four songs is a journey in which tempos, moods, melodies, and chord progressions are continually evolving. While Fugue impress with their compositional and instrumental virtuosity, they skillfully avoid falling into the trap of becoming over-technical showoffs. Part of the credit there must go to the drummer, who animates the music with surprisingly unconventional rhythms but pulls it off with organic ease. Additionally, for all of its cerebral quality, YEARS is still a post-rock album that will melt your brain with distortion-heavy crescendos and hypnotically charging riffs.

It was sad to hear recently that Fugue is breaking up (they have schedules for their last live shows posted on their FB page). I am, however, looking forward to hearing the new projects that Fugue’s members will inevitably get involved with. This last album speaks to both their musicianship and innovation.

Fugue - YEARS - 02 Vermilion Bird of the South by CTINDIE