FIRE MOUNTAIN – ALL DIES DOWN
2014 – This Is American Music
This high quality album has difficult to define influences that range from a gentle rootsiness, indie, folk, alt. country, power pop and probably much else besides. It is a recording that includes several upbeat mid tempo ‘rockers’ but is predominately melodic ballads driven, not always a good thing but on this album there is a nice varied instrumentation, nothing heavy, just a little diversity that keeps the interest at it’s peak.
The five piece Fire Mountain is made up of Perry Brown on guitar and vocals, Adam Vinson on drums and vocals, Ryan Richburg plays guitar, Walter Black, bass and Bryan Segraves on piano and vocals. Brown’s lead vocal is always warm and expressive and is equally at home irrespective of whether pouring his heart out on the ballads or rocking things up on the mid tempo upbeat songs. He is certainly able to create an atmosphere with his voice, which on a few occasions reminded me of Michael Stipe, but to achieve that atmosphere the other four members of this excellent band contribute hugely.
Their only previous release was a well received e.p. that promised much for the future. Have they fulfilled that promise? In many respects the answer is a categorical ‘yes,’ but I just have the niggling impression that there is more to come in terms of defining their sound. Whilst this is a pleasurable recording to listen to, stylistically my feeling is that they sit in a no mans land that they have constructed for themselves. There are several excellent songs that are verging on country or country rock, a few that have an indie/power pop feel, even a little rootsy rock and at times a certain folksy feel although none of the songs seem to be really rooted in any specific genre. Conversely you could say it is that very rootlessness and therefore individuality that makes this band what it is and I can’t argue with that, particularly as I enjoy the album more with each listen, but I always find it better to explain any reservations, none of which should stop anyone from buying this hugely melodic album.
All of the songs lyrics were written by Perry Brown with the music and arrangements being by the band, although there are a couple of exceptions. In the case of Traces the lyrics were by Brown and the music and arrangement by the band and the talented Arthur Alligood, whilst I’ve Been Wrong was as Traces but with Stephen Poff substituting for Arthur Alligood. Brown is a very astute and at times poetic lyricist, avoiding overt clichés and bringing an unusual slant to some of these reflective and often intensely atmospheric stories. The album has a completely comfortable natural resonance, something that is often noticeable when the writing and arranging are carried out in house by people who know inside out what they want to achieve.
The album opener Be Your Eyes is a lovely mellow song that creates an atmosphere of laid back 1970s country rock with some excellent tuneful playing and melodic lead and harmony vocals. On Factory Line we change tempos with some nice chunky electric guitars that add some fire on this mid tempo song that has an excellent rootsy ‘power/indie pop’ feel with lead vocals as usual very good. Probably the nearest we get to a real country song is the catchy and beautifully melodic ballad Doing Fine with its haunting steel guitar on a reflective tale that works beautifully thanks to Perry Brown’s atmospheric lead vocal and the bands harmonies. At The Seams has a lovely haunting acoustic guitar and chiming keyboards driving a slow moody ballad, but one that is gradually lifted as the sound fills out and the dramatic quality gradually increases in passion. It is very much a song that has a controlled intensity that rises and falls giving it a cinematically epic quality. I’ve Been Wrong is a song that gradually fades in on a wave of mellow sounds on this slow haunting ballad, with excellent percussion, lead vocal and piano that gradually builds in intensity before finally calming the dramatic quality slightly with a final acceptance that ‘no one is doing fine.’
It can be argued that there is little real originality in this album (and most others!) but there is plenty of diversity and a great deal of expertise and I suspect that Brown’s lead vocals will as time goes by give the band their recognizable signature sound. If there is a problem and I’m not sure if it really is one, it is in terms of promotion. As mentioned earlier their music is a blend of a number of differing styles, adding up to a fascinating and pleasurable listen, but when it comes to sales of c.ds the album may be difficult to put into a rack other than pop/rock, which as we know, without spending a fortune on promotion releases can get lost in that bottomless pit of catch all albums. That would be a real shame because this album is a little different to most of what is around and there is nothing forced in their sound, which they seem to have arrived at by purely natural means. Whilst not being in love with labels I do try in the case of reviews to give potential listeners some kind of indication of the genre that I feel the album fits into. It is difficult in the case of this recording so the record label name ‘This Is American Music,’ will have to suffice, and a very good example of that it is as well and by a band that have the talent to be huge!
http://www.firemountainband.com/
This high quality album has difficult to define influences that range from a gentle rootsiness, indie, folk, alt. country, power pop and probably much else besides. It is a recording that includes several upbeat mid tempo ‘rockers’ but is predominately melodic ballads driven, not always a good thing but on this album there is a nice varied instrumentation, nothing heavy, just a little diversity that keeps the interest at it’s peak.
The five piece Fire Mountain is made up of Perry Brown on guitar and vocals, Adam Vinson on drums and vocals, Ryan Richburg plays guitar, Walter Black, bass and Bryan Segraves on piano and vocals. Brown’s lead vocal is always warm and expressive and is equally at home irrespective of whether pouring his heart out on the ballads or rocking things up on the mid tempo upbeat songs. He is certainly able to create an atmosphere with his voice, which on a few occasions reminded me of Michael Stipe, but to achieve that atmosphere the other four members of this excellent band contribute hugely.
Their only previous release was a well received e.p. that promised much for the future. Have they fulfilled that promise? In many respects the answer is a categorical ‘yes,’ but I just have the niggling impression that there is more to come in terms of defining their sound. Whilst this is a pleasurable recording to listen to, stylistically my feeling is that they sit in a no mans land that they have constructed for themselves. There are several excellent songs that are verging on country or country rock, a few that have an indie/power pop feel, even a little rootsy rock and at times a certain folksy feel although none of the songs seem to be really rooted in any specific genre. Conversely you could say it is that very rootlessness and therefore individuality that makes this band what it is and I can’t argue with that, particularly as I enjoy the album more with each listen, but I always find it better to explain any reservations, none of which should stop anyone from buying this hugely melodic album.
All of the songs lyrics were written by Perry Brown with the music and arrangements being by the band, although there are a couple of exceptions. In the case of Traces the lyrics were by Brown and the music and arrangement by the band and the talented Arthur Alligood, whilst I’ve Been Wrong was as Traces but with Stephen Poff substituting for Arthur Alligood. Brown is a very astute and at times poetic lyricist, avoiding overt clichés and bringing an unusual slant to some of these reflective and often intensely atmospheric stories. The album has a completely comfortable natural resonance, something that is often noticeable when the writing and arranging are carried out in house by people who know inside out what they want to achieve.
The album opener Be Your Eyes is a lovely mellow song that creates an atmosphere of laid back 1970s country rock with some excellent tuneful playing and melodic lead and harmony vocals. On Factory Line we change tempos with some nice chunky electric guitars that add some fire on this mid tempo song that has an excellent rootsy ‘power/indie pop’ feel with lead vocals as usual very good. Probably the nearest we get to a real country song is the catchy and beautifully melodic ballad Doing Fine with its haunting steel guitar on a reflective tale that works beautifully thanks to Perry Brown’s atmospheric lead vocal and the bands harmonies. At The Seams has a lovely haunting acoustic guitar and chiming keyboards driving a slow moody ballad, but one that is gradually lifted as the sound fills out and the dramatic quality gradually increases in passion. It is very much a song that has a controlled intensity that rises and falls giving it a cinematically epic quality. I’ve Been Wrong is a song that gradually fades in on a wave of mellow sounds on this slow haunting ballad, with excellent percussion, lead vocal and piano that gradually builds in intensity before finally calming the dramatic quality slightly with a final acceptance that ‘no one is doing fine.’
It can be argued that there is little real originality in this album (and most others!) but there is plenty of diversity and a great deal of expertise and I suspect that Brown’s lead vocals will as time goes by give the band their recognizable signature sound. If there is a problem and I’m not sure if it really is one, it is in terms of promotion. As mentioned earlier their music is a blend of a number of differing styles, adding up to a fascinating and pleasurable listen, but when it comes to sales of c.ds the album may be difficult to put into a rack other than pop/rock, which as we know, without spending a fortune on promotion releases can get lost in that bottomless pit of catch all albums. That would be a real shame because this album is a little different to most of what is around and there is nothing forced in their sound, which they seem to have arrived at by purely natural means. Whilst not being in love with labels I do try in the case of reviews to give potential listeners some kind of indication of the genre that I feel the album fits into. It is difficult in the case of this recording so the record label name ‘This Is American Music,’ will have to suffice, and a very good example of that it is as well and by a band that have the talent to be huge!
http://www.firemountainband.com/