Winter Releases: Kyle Curtis and FUULS
Winter Roundup
by Donal Lakatua
my bedroom, in the winter is songwriter Indiana expat and UM student Kyle Curtis’ second full length album. His band, The Fertile Crescent, plays at the Top Hat in Missoula on January 24th.
my bedroom, in the winter
by Kyle Curtis
Songwriter Kyle Curtis sat down on a cold December night and recorded an album in his room by himself. If you know him or his music, this shouldn't be a surprise. Curtis’ last recorded album, Camelopardalis, was recorded all DIY in a basement.
Curtis returns to some of the same songs, but this time it’s
At a run time of around 35 minutes, my bedroom, in the winter is comprised of eight tracks of Curtis’ original songs recorded on his phone.
“I set up a few microphones, but it wasn’t really working,” said Curtis in an interview, “I just ended up using my voice memos.”
It sounds like Curtis is sitting right next to you, as you can hear the creaks of the bench, Curtis’ fingers hitting the piano keys and even a sigh of content after each take is done.
The album presents several softer reinterpretations of Curtis’ songs, and two new ones, ‘to be redeemed’ and ‘what & where i need.’
Each song runs through experiences with love and nature. Curtis harnesses the natural imagery of Montana and his native Indiana to play some wonderful, huddle-round-the-fireplace love songs and fable-like narratives.
This album comes ahead of Curtis’ band, The Fertile Crescent, playing at the Top Hat and releasing an album in January.
ABOUT-FACE is FUULS’s third release, and comes ahead of a new
ABOUT-FACE
by FUULS
Garage-rock trio FUULS seem like scene veterans in Missoula, and after every hiatus or break they seem to come back stronger and more focused than ever.
ABOUT-FACE is a short four song EP that flows nicely. The four tracks maintain a driving rhythm that is equally heavy as it is groovy. Drummer Aaron Soria and bassist Rob Cave form a prolific rhythm section that is only matched by the angry, cathartic voice and guitar of Thomas Ashley.
“The EP is basically an update,'“ Ashley said in an interview, “this was like a snapshot of where we’re at.”
The EP’s first three tracks introduce a grungier, darker and more passionate FUULS than previous releases, Ashley’s songwriting striking serious topics; being mixed race, toxic masculinity and dealing with mental illness.
ABOUT-FACE begins with a jam ballad ‘Freudian Slurs,’ with Ashley’s soaring refrain ‘I keep fuckin it up,’ leading into a nice waltzy breakdown that builds into the next song, ‘Nosferotten,’ a spaced out track wherein crisp drum and bass grooves ground Ashley’s vocals, as they sing about coming to terms with the responsibility of self-improvement.
Ashley’s lyrics on ‘Blanket State’ present a view of social norms and work culture from a refreshed, and rightfully angry indigenous point of view. The frustration can be felt through all mediums; the guitar, vocals, bass and drums are all brought together by Soria, Cave and Ashley’s years of cooperation.
The recording quality is a blessing, as you can finally hear some of the new FUULS tracks in high fidelity! FUULS is currently working on a full length album that should come out this summer.