Mixing folk/acoustic elements with pop/rock elements is something many bands have done.... have done *badly*.
It seems almost too easy to be a hack at both sides of this equation. Then to add a patina of somberness, of melancholy (of "goth", if you will), this would usually spell doom to most bands who try their hand at this mix.
Fermata are not most bands and make the smooth mixing of pop elements and folk elements seem easy.
There's a confidence here that makes what they do feel light, effortless. Despite the somber mood they evoke this confidence gives a sense of hope and positiveness to the work. "Only Ghosts Remain" is a chamber pop album for goths-who-smile. This collection proves that all "gothic americana" doesn't have to be gutter tales of depravity and desperation.
They owe this success to several elements:
They're obviously skilled musicians and, for once, the super clean production actually works in a band's favor and lets individual perfomers shine while still keeping the sound cohesive.
They also have a solid understanding of -contemporary- rock music. While no song on Fermata's first full-length "RAWKS" (thankfully) neither does this sound like a dated re-creation of previous folk-rock match ups from the 90s, 70s or 60s. The band has pulled off a remarkable coup by making an all acoustic album sounds fresh. Kudos.
At the heart of all of this is a knowledge of the slight-of-hand found in gospel music. What you're listening to may sound, at first, sober, almost sad, then it hits you with an uplifting swing that redirects your mindset. This musical 180 is most clearly illustrated in the songs "Zura" and "The Woodsman", here the vocals take a heroic upswing that pulls us to our feet, that lifts our head to the sky.
Fermata should lift their heads high too, this is a very well done albom.
