Single review by Phil M.
While a seasoned musician, this is Chicago-based Frear’s second release from his debut album. Frear enigmatically chooses to remain anonymous (safe to assume then that this is not his real name…), and keeps his musical history under wraps, former bands that he was in also remain unnamed. In doing so Frear is hoping to turn the focus away from himself and towards the music and lyrics.
‘A Town Called Chapel’ is the album opener and was recorded at his home studio. The music and lyrics are by Frear, and all the instruments are played by him. The track starts out with a lengthy staccato and lightly picked guitar intro with a couple of unexpected chord changes thrown in before the vocals come in and things get moving. Lyrically Frear tells us that the track is about wanting to leave a place and situation, but not wanting to as it is “so warm and comfy that you just can’t bear to leave”. The vocals are gritty, and we must wait until the end of the third verse before the haunting chorus “Yeah I do OK for Chapel babe, but I can’t leave this town”. After that, a distorted, raspy guitar takes up the riff for the next verse, fading out over the course of that. The track ends with the realisation that he must leave that town.
Frear tells us that he draws his inspiration from the likes of Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, PJ Harvey, and Nick Cave, so if you’re also a fan of these I’m sure you’ll find something here for you.
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