Fade 13

Review of Fade13's self-titled debut by Jake Rose of Pink Noise:
The lyrics of Fade 13 celebrate the events and stages of a man's life: Romance ("The only time I really care which way thewind blows/ is when I climb a tree and look into your window"); Relationships ("All for this is being sorry/ and then know why");Problem solving ("bound down and drowning in a pool of wine"); Competition ("Then the winners came/ they don't know myname"). Love; ("Please don't leave me!") Oh, and did I mention Depression? ("All I know is that I want to be alone/ and I don'tthink you can help me"). But Fade 13, aka Myron Fenner, isn't some angsty teen or angry young man, as evidenced by thematured melancholy of his lyrics that's as refined as that pool of wine. Fenner is an ordinary average guy with a college degreeand a good job. A wife and kid in the suburbs of Philomath, Oregon. He was a kid of the '80's who grew up in a small town withlimited output for creativity. Perhaps all these reasons and more have led to his genius bubbling to the top of his glass in histhirties. His self-titled album is actually a bit more uplifting than his first full-length, 1997's excellent "BASIC" (as Fading Traces). Sincethen, his one-man band has shifted from the raw rock of the '90's to the piano-driven new-wave of this youth. The optimism ofcreating the music that has been building inside is at constant battle with the frustration and depression that is the subject of thesongs themselves. A catharsis, a solution, to that despair is at his fingertips, and hearing it on record is an emotional, upliftingexperience. As opposed to Euromotion, this self-recorded masterpiece is immaculately produced. The sonic qualities are inspired by the'80's master-works of such producers as Thomas Dolby and Roy Thomas Baker, while the digital devices used make therecording sound current, not retro. Fade's vocals could be compared to Tears For Fears or Depeche Mode, however moreelastic and sometimes goofy. There's a phenomenal range of keyboard and drum tones chosen with care for each song, aswell as the occasional guitar. The opener, "Whisper Secret," begins with a classical motif a la The Beach Boys' "California Girls" before bursting into anodd-timed, piano-driven pop shuffle. The production creates the illusion of playing to a stadium of people, complete withcheering effects. Ironically, this was recorded four years before the first Fade 13 show. Thus, we begin our journey of fantasy,often crashing with life's sad realities. The song mixes smoothly into "Without Love" a fast and funky guitar-driven dance song."You are the queen of ice age," sings Fenner sweetly," Without love." The lyrics explore the meaning of relationships in termsof what individuals want from one another. "Architect of Failure" is the album's perfect new-wave dance single, with sci-fi synths,layered, spacey vocals, and low droning bass. It evokes feelings of cold isolation, slowly growing more desperate until thesong begins its climax. The drums drop out leaving Fenner's vocals vulnerable and alone except piano. "Hold me/ take meinside" he sings before the wall of sound rushes back in half time leaving you ecstatically headbanging or pogoing (whateveryour preference). The ballads on the album are just as breath-taking as the dance songs. "The River" seems to be about revitalizing arelationship on the verge of death. Realizing that "through all of the righteousness" the love between people matters more. Thefirst half is the drifting melancholy piano reaching this conclusion. The synth strings come in representing the pain of theabsence of a partner. The song ends with different parts sung overlapping in "rounds" over a confident beat, the conclusionbeing, "all this time, we were going to start right now/ on something real." Whether they do or not is left ambiguous. The"Mystery" of the next ballad is that "there's no reply." It's a meditative, sympathetic song about stalking, sung in the first person. The light-hearted interlude of "Muppet" (which has a great music video) serves as to soften the damage of "Losing Again" oneof the most devastating songs I've ever heard. This is where the line is drawn between a room full of punks singing "I'm anoutsider" and singing "All the things we never want begin with losing again" to yourself in your basement. Of not having a cliqueto sing your songs to, because your "scene" doesn't exist. The courage to write and perform such a vulnerable song whileremaining so true to yourself is very inspirational. It touches the true outsider, the ones that haven't found the other outsiders.He may start a punk movement of his own.
Video for Fade13's "The Last Time"
Directed by Marie Arnold
..
Video for Fade13's "Muppet"
Directed by Myron Fenner
..