The Student News Site of University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Badger Herald

The Student News Site of University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Badger Herald

The Student News Site of University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Badger Herald

Advertisements
Advertisements

Faun Fables’ latest album leaves listeners in the “dark.”

On the band’s website, Faun Fables frontrunner
Dawn McCarthy tells us “To me, life has always felt like a place reverberating
with all kinds of shrieking and laughing things.” This sentiment certainly
comes through on Faun Fables’ latest album, the questionably titled Light of
a Vaster Dark
. This may have something to do with the frequent
reverberating shrieks and laughs. Light of a Vaster Dark, like their
previous stage productions/albums, is steeped in an exaggerated musical
theatricality that works as a sort of operatic invocation of seasonal spirits and
nature’s mystical energies. (Or something.) Though the album dives headfirst,
track by track, into a nearly intangible, emotional clamor, it gradually shows
itself to be a somewhat inaccessible yet cohesive concept album involving such
diverse themes as darkness, lightness, the Virgin Mary, housekeepers, seasons
and broomsticks.

McCarthy’s theatricality manifests itself both
lyrically and musically throughout the album, from “Housekeeper” and “Sweeping
Spell,” which are heavily chorused songs that even sound like a choreographed
dance, to the three interludes, which sound and work as the album’s scene
changes. The production takes advantage of foot-stomping, brooms and assorted
yelps, hoots and howls in a deceivingly melodic way. Such unconventional
instrumentation plays as important a role in the album’s storytelling as do the
songs’ lyrics. Likewise, whether or not you enjoy the album hangs upon its
inherently theatrical nature.

The album begins with what sounds like a
medieval Velvet Underground drone, complete with ambient clanging and darkly
harmonized vocals, but it gradually expands to include more traditional sounding,
folksy orchestration. At times, the orchestration seems to find itself conflicted
about the direction its going in, caught somewhere between chamber music,
barnyard country-tonk, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Rather than clashing and
harming the piece’s flow, though, the diverse set of influences plays out
intriguingly, enhancing the album as a whole.

Advertisements

Lyrically, Dawn McCarthy does a good job
steering clear of clich?s, even as she broaches the oft-visited subjects of
light and darkness. When she does make use of worn figures of speech it is in such
a melodic way as to make them seem essential to the song’s success.

There is a certain level of camp and
bounciness that one comes to expect from musical theater, and in Vaster Dark,
Fawn Fables celebrates this without sacrificing the seriousness of their
own work. Still, there is a definite inaccessibility to much of what Fawn
Fables do on their albums, and this most recent piece is no exception. It takes
a particular sort of listener to put up with tunes about housekeepers and
sweeping floors.

Faun Fables takes their listeners through a
rapid emotional and thematic cycling, dealing with pain, loss, seasonal
transitions, story-telling, hibernation and hope. By the album’s end, its
somewhat less-than-endearing title has been made clear. Light of a Vaster
Dark
highlights the temporal, emotional conflict that defines the turning
world, the tone ever-changing from hopeful to abysmal. Faun Fables cornily but
effectively leave us with the hope for an end to the darkness and the eternal
winter, without ever actually giving it to us.

 3.5 stars

Faun Fables will be performing at The Frequency in Madison on October 9
at 9 p.m. Tickets are $8 and the
show will feature Stephanie Rearick.

Advertisements
Leave a Comment
Donate to The Badger Herald

Your donation will support the student journalists of University of Wisconsin-Madison. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to The Badger Herald

Comments (0)

All The Badger Herald Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *