Fool’s Field, the latest release from Atlanta-based quartet Flashlight Faces, takes you on a classic rock adventure with engaging storytelling woven together by the vision of singer-songwriter Paul Buchholz. Behind this album was Buchholz, along with bandmates Ryan Dawe, John Ballam, and Joe Binns, formulated at Flossy Monk Studio with Mark Mundy and later mastered by Carl Saff.
The opening track, “Things That Walked,” is fervent, with tensions running high. The song is driven by a relentless, ticking beat keeping the momentum pulsing and Buchholz’s engaging vocals. Gritty, fuzzed-out guitars churn in the background, creating a sense of unease and suspense.
Coyote Heights, the third track, starts off with ominous cymbal crashes, evoking the feeling of a storm brewing on a rocky path. As the song progresses, the instrumental layers deepen, creating a rich, textured soundscape. Buchholz’s voice, soaring animatedly, gets us hooked. Paired with soulful female harmonies in the bridge, his delivery adds an almost cinematic airiness to the music.
The title track, Fool’s Field, is where the album truly shines. Opening with a trotting sound reminiscent of horse hooves, the song’s peaceful, melodic guitar riffs set the stage for a mystical mood. Buchholz’s soulful, entrancing vocals guide us through a story of someone seeking healing, with vivid imagery that illustrates a path into the unknown.
The album closes with Another Sun Shines Underground, which emerges with soft, soothing guitar plucks. The tenderness of the music is mirrored by Buchholz, who sings slowly and peacefully with sonorous softness and passion. The lyrics, “The light from another sun shines underground / And so I won’t be afraid when we go down,” evoke a sense of calm in the face of uncertainty. As the song progresses, it bursts into a vibrant, shimmering finale, with bustling drums and driving guitars building an ethereal atmosphere.
Listen to Fool’s Field by Flashlight Faces if you love atmospheric, narrative-driven, literary music.
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Review by: Naomi Joan