Very few bands have had such a flash in the pan effect, while a changing approach to what music is and the listenership, than Fair To Midland. Their sophomore release and last outing, Arrows & Anchors, fully explores their progressive approach to heavier music and the creative implementation of other genres. No matter if you like alt-rock, country, shoegaze, or pop-punk, they take on all in an effective encapsulation of beauty for all music. But to thoroughly understand this, we must go track by track and look into the instrumentation, lyricism, and the craftsmanship of each track.
“Heavens To Murgatroyd”: 4
The opening track helps establish listeners in a 44-second track, the approach to their song structures. While also creating a main theme of the album, the unknown. Like the title’s name. Which is an idiom for surprise or bewilderment, each track is a lead up to suspense, since listeners won’t know the type of approach Fair To Midland will be.
“Whiskey And Ritalin”: 4
Listeners follow up the prelude with a coalescence of thrasher riffs and alt-rock embellishments,even rivaling the sound of Deftones. The song has a really nice balance between speed and energy, alternating the choruses with nice melodies. Fair to Midland creates a study of schizophrenia and at times delves into stimulant psychosis, and the effect it has on the ailed and their surrounding loved ones.
“Musical Chairs”: 5
Fair To Midland pulled back on the creative post-rock and shoegaze with “Musical Chairs’ establishing a thorough take on traditional progressive rock. At times (especially throughout the choruses) bordering on Metalcore. I honestly adore the energy, constantly keeping a technical offering. The track highlights the diffidence of life, always moving to certain perspectives and evolving your overall outlook in hopes of a better afterlife.
“Uh-Oh”: 4
“Uh-Oh” is a direct left turn into territories I had no idea were even possible. The heavy-handedness of this song (normally) would be really weird and awkward. However the use of the beautiful melodies creates a diverse sound, making the juxtaposition presented in”Uh-Oh” really fits to that art-rock aesthetic. In refutation of “Musical Chairs,” it’s an admonitory tale of living a thoughtless life, one where one may blindly subscribe to random conventions. Between these two tracks, it shows the importance of balance and how one should live.
“Aramillo Sleeps On My Pillow”: 5
This was by far the biggest and unexpected change-ups on Arrows and Anchors. Fair To Midland creates a journey through a protagonist who challenges others to capture certain moments in life, but refuses to do the same. The heavy layer of country-rock is constantly providing these wide melodies.
“Loophole in Limbo”: 4
The best way I can explain the importance of how this song fits in the track listing is through the wisdom of Confucius, who once said, “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.”
The softer take on the alternative side of “ Whiskey And RItalin” really shows the dynamics of their songwriting. But the biggest thing is how these elements aren’t tired due to the placement of both tracks. The intentionality of this shows how much Fair To Midland thinks about not just the songs themselves, but the listenership of the album.
“Typhoid Mary Sends Her Best”: 4
The interlude of the album is a really great transient out of the previous track, “Loophole In Limbo,” creating a nice breakup between two very familiar songs.
“Short Haired Tornado”: 4
Again, they throw listeners to another loop. Unlike “Loophole In Limbo”, which is more of a traditional soft rock track, “Short Haired Tornado” and “Fair to Midland by proxy create an indie pop-rock song. The guitars are in a perpetual flux, going from prog-heavy shoegaze to the lighter application of clans. It makes for a greatly differentiated track amongst the “slower” section of Arrows & Anchors.
“The Upset At Bailey Bridge”: 3
Listeners begin another interlude, which leads up to another connecting track from one softer track to another, seemingly softer track.
“Rikki Tikki Tavi”: 5
The track introduced me to Fair To Midland and is a duality of my love for System Of The Down and progressive metal. The constant back and forth of the beautiful softness of the verses, then hard transitioning to pure rage and chaos. At times, this song feels comical but really shows the masterful control the entire band has over their titular sound. “Rikki Tikki Tavi” illustrates Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book”, evoking the heroism of his titular character in an idiomatic fashion.
“Golden Parachute”: 4
Listeners will find a sense of familiarity with the combined elements of “Whiskey And Ritalin” with the more dream-like shoegaze. Combining it with a lighter application of alternative rock of “Musical Chairs”. There’s just a perfect amount of catharsis while not regurgitating the softer sections of the record. It provides a unique but easygoing listening experience and puts listeners in a juxtaposition coming from “Rikki Tikki Tavi”.
“Bright Bulbs And Sharp Tools”: 4
Moreover, Fair To Midland amalgamates jazz with “ The Amarillo Sleeps On My Pillow” and its southern blueprints. The sound of this song reminds me of Coheed And Cambria, with the mixing favoring the drums, also patching in whispers for vocals. Some debate on whether the song is about a man who is angry with a woman, and is there to tell her off. Her husband is a brute, but a scared one due to his intellect.
“Coppertank Island”: 4
You would think that Fair To Midland would keep a steady or even safe approach to their music for consistency’s sake, as they are bringing the record to a close. However, they instantly divert the ears of listeners with “Coppertank Island”. The track is a stylized take on the metalcore structure, with moments of a melodic death metal sound. It reminds me a lot of Ice Nine, with the more theater-driven showmanship and instrumentation, especially in the realm of the vocals. They establish a metaphor of a journey on an unreliable vessel as a way to deliver uncertainty, questioning societal norms, and the importance of self-discovery in the face of disillusionment.
“Three Foolproof Ways to Buy the Farm”: 3
The last interlude listeners will encounter creates a really great atmosphere and is a perfect lead-up to the finale of the record. My only problem is it sort of halts any momentum that was picked throughout the track list. Preferably, I think it would have been effective if they used it as an intro to the valedictory track. But it is what it is.
“The Greener Grass”: 5
The finale of Arrows And Anchors is a near-11-minute ride of all of the best portions of the album, culminating in one perfect finale. The chorus is wide, and you get your proggy goodness throughout the track. It reminds me a lot of Teseract’s War Of Being. One of the most interesting aspects of this song is its anonymity. The lyrics are up in the air, with little to no explanations (or guesses) as it is. This is such a deep cut that it doesn’t even recognize the existence of the track in any AI or search engine I have used.
Overall, it’s a masterpiece on how dynamic progressive rock can be, even if it’s a little primitive compared to its contemporary genres. From front to back, up and down, left to right, you WILL find something to sink your teeth into. However, the biggest contention I have with this album is its humbleness. A group of awesome instrumentalists coming together, without special production, but just pure love and mastery of their art.
