The faded-looking sepiatone photo of a battered Ford truck on a dusty desert road surrounded by scrub and tumbleweeds says Americana. It says nostalgia. You couldn’t accuse Fables & Ideals of false advertising, because that’s exactly what they deliver on this, their eponymous debut.
The lyrics are riven with nostalgia and regret, emotional rawness and moments of anguish, but also reflections on the comforts of human connections and simple pleasures.
The artists Fables & Ideals cite indicate a deep-seated affection for US rock tradition, as well as pointing to their substantial aspirations: Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Eddie Vedder feature prominently in their list of touchstone performers.
The tracks are largely acoustic-based, dainty plucked notes providing a soft backing to the dueting vocals of Garry and Enise Hutchinson. Mark Folland’s bass remains in the distance, and the use of electric guitar is restrained and subtle for the most part.
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Hutchinson’s husky voice is scratched, worn and weathered, and proves particularly effective in tugging on the heartstrings on reflective songs like ‘Pangs of Time’. Closer ‘Fingerprints’ takes it right down to a simple ukulele accompaniment: it’s charming in its immediacy and lack of pretence.
When they step it up and rock it out, as on ‘Anthem’, throwing in a raucous harmonica and crashing cymbals, not to mention a big guitar break, the Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young influences become abundantly clear, and it’s all part and parcel of an album that’s enjoyable, and quietly assured.
Fables & Ideals Online
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