Fang Island
Like the painstakingly chiseled marble of the album artwork, Major is hefty, solid, monolithic and regal. Whereas Fang Island described their celebrated 2010 self-titled Sargent House debut as, "everyone high-fiving everyone," Major is evermore confident, triumphant and brimming with infectious enthusiasm. Its warm harmonies are given proper berth with more expansive dynamics and focused pop song craft.
"One of our core ideas has always been that our songs would be all of your favorite parts of the song that other bands make you wait 8 minutes to get to," explains guitarist/vocalist Jason Bartell. "We wanted to be the band that's nothing but your favorite hooks back to back." Major shows Fang Island deftly achieving that aim.
Throughout, Major highlights the band's endeavor to elevate positivity as an art form. "It's kind of similar to writing songs about being sad," Bartell says. "It can come across as simplistic, or easy. Positive songs often run the risk of sounding shallow, but we feel there are a lot of shades and depths to positivity that can be explored." That exploration becomes clear from the first notes of Major.
"Honest, life-affirming and infectious, and it's that rare concentration of directness and simplicity that makes Fang Island so uniquely and wonderfully inclusive." Best New Music -- Pitchfork / "Sisterly" track premiere on Pitchfork!
"Fang Island are simply killer fun, a proper gang who sing collectively and pummel their guitars without recourse to errant soloing." Four Stars -- MOJO
"Whereas the album’s lead single, “Asunder”, was a slice of pure prog-rock glory, this latest cut is more in the garage rock vain, with a sizzling guitar line and low-key, alt-rock-leaning vocals." - Consequence Of Sound
"Brooklyn anthem-rippers Fang Island have a new album called Major awaiting release, and we’ve already heard the amped-up leadoff track “Asunder.” And now we’ve got another track from the album: The relatively restrained but still fiery “Sisterly,” which gets bonus points for blink-and-miss-it use of Isaac Hayes chicken-scratch guitars." - Stereogum
“On Major, Fang Island's music is a visceral release. Songs build and swell from chorus-like instrumental explosions to contented dénouements before the rush of the next one begins. Piano arpeggios sparkle. Riffs pile atop riffs. Psychedelic guitar lines fly by like cars in a drag race. "Life-affirming" was a phrase often tossed around in reviews of the band's previous, self-titled record, and that relentless positive energy flows in full here, too.” – NPR, “First Listen” Feature
RIYL: Japandroids, Battles, Wavves
TRY: #2, 3, 4, 6, 7
Fang Island - Seek it Out by Sargent House
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