Fencer "Fencer" Review
The time has finally come for the long-awaited debut album from Fencer. The self-titled album features songs that have been released across the last three years as well as some that have never been heard until now. This album is a fantastic example of how to step out and make a scene.
“Come On, Keep Screaming” opens with a fast-building tempo and a quiet whimper snuck in that’s quick to grab the listener’s attention if they know it’s there. Within the first minute of the song, the tone for the album is set and the statement is clear: We’re here to take up space, so make room.
“Buena” sneaks in with a slow, slinky, sexy bassline. It’s the first time on the album that it appears the listener is not hearing vocalist Field Cate, but rather his alter-ego, Joseph Courtney (who has his own dedicated song later in the album). Originally by Morphine, this cover is punchier and modernized from its original 1994 release with guitars taking over for the brass.
Halfway through Fencer, the energy shifts from electric excitement and go-go-go to a more relaxed vibe with “Fishfriend” and “Sanitarium.” Though they’re 13 years apart, “Fishfriend” could have been slotted anywhere in the movie Juno and it wouldn’t have felt out of place or ahead of its time.
The calm lasts only for a moment before everything shoots back up to 11 with “Velvet Jetski.” With a gritty guitar and bassline, this song could have been placed anywhere on the album and would have felt perfectly situated.
The album closes out with the second-most relaxed song, “Bad Bet.” Another quick stop in momentum, this song tells the tale of regret and the aftermath of an ended relationship. The listener is brought through what follows that ending: cheap and shallow reminders like “Give it some time / Just wait and see what the future will bring”, and the feeling of being the entire cause of the breakup. “Bad Bet” feels like a proverbial light at the end of the tunnel and leaves the listener with a positive outlook despite its melancholy lyrics.
In a mentally visual sense, this album stuck true to the band’s motto of “Everything must be blue.” Each song is a shade of blue, different from the last, ranging from deep, vibrant, and hazy to bright, pale, and cheery. All in all, Fencer couldn’t have put together a better collection of songs as a way to debut themselves. This is an album that will open many doors for the band.
8/10
