ALBUM REVIEW: Crown Lands – Fearless

4.0 rating
Crown Lands - Fearless

Creating a decent sophomore album off the back of a successful debut is a daunting task. So, what do you do? Do you consider the first album a formula and try to expand on it (while also running the risk of appearing devoid of fresh ideas)? Or do you switch things up and head off into unchartered territories? After turning heads with their self-titled blues rock debut, Crown Lands have opted for the latter, using their latest album, Fearless, to explore their true musical passion for prog-rock.

Those familiar with the Canadian duo’s previous work will have become accustomed to an individual style, sounding a little like a mashup of Jack White and Robert Plant playing with Led Zeppelin—in a positive kind of way (what doesn’t sound positive about that?). While there wasn’t much component-wise you hadn’t heard before, it was beautifully packaged in a way that somehow sounded different.

A shift to prog-rock for Fearless has meant tweaking a few things for better or for worse, depending on your personal tastes. Singer Cody Bowles (who also does a fine job on drums) has adopted a vocal style very much akin to Geddy Lee of Rush. In fact, listeners will recognise plenty of other Rush similarities on the album, the most noticeable elements perhaps being Kevin Comeau’s (also bass and keys) guitar work and the sci-fi synths. Sci-fi actually fits into the theme of the album, but we’ll get to that later. The sound is all very reminiscent of Rush during their Moving Pictures era. In fact, at times the familiarity is borderline excessive. It’s nice to hear inspiration, but gauging by Crown Land’s previous stuff, they certainly possess the creative talent to use it to produce something that they can truly own.

What is very much Crown Lands is the theme of the album. Fearless is an album with a tale to tell—a message that relates to the Indigenous peoples of Canada and their fight against colonialism. Indeed, this is where the band’s name comes from. Crown Lands is a reference to the government-held lands that were taken from Canada’s native population. Throughout Fearless, listeners are thrown into a sci-fi world, full of atmosphere and mystique. But it’s one that places Indigenous people as the protagonists.

The album’s opening track, ‘Starlifter: Fearless Pt. II’, is an 18-minute epic. It tells the story of Fearless, the titular hero, who stands against the colonisation of outer space and the decimation of his people to reclaim what was stolen by capitalistic greed and bloodshed. The song is an absolute blast. After an intro that sounds more metal than prog-rock, it gradually weaves through section upon section of powerful guitar solos, delicate synths, and gentle chimes. It’s gorgeously worked, and it’s a tremendously fun listen that not only takes the listener on a journey across a musical landscape but also on a journey through space and time.

On ‘The Shadow’, the album’s third track, Comeau’s hooks are powerful and catchy, while Bowles’ singing hits just the right notes. It’s rather evocative of a Foreigner power ballad. The song is packed with energy and it really makes you want to get up and move. Things then move on to ‘Right Way Back’, through which Bowles’ processed vocals slice like a razor-sharp blade. It’s a fast-paced song that utilises those sci-fi synths to create the feeling of hurtling through space at warp speed. It’s a track that certainly doesn’t lack excitement, and it’s one that better showcases the band’s own sound, too.

Fans of Crown Lands will likely have heard Fearless’s fifth track before. ‘Context: Fearless Pt. I’ was previously released a couple of years ago (as was ‘Right Way Back’ for that matter). This is where things become really Rush-inspired. So much so that it’s actually intended as a tribute piece. Musically, it takes reference from ‘Red Barchetta,’ and you’d be forgiven for thinking that Alex Lifeson was brought in as a guest guitarist—the riffs are unquestionably his. Again, ‘Context: Fearless Pt. I’ has that lovely synth sound that is so much a character of the album.

Things don’t deviate too much in terms of sound for ‘Reflections’. While perhaps not one of Fearless’s standout tracks, it’s uplifting and energising and carries the listener through nicely into ‘Penny’—an acoustic instrumental that provides a few minutes of calm amidst a powerhouse of an album. The duo then get on the gas again for ‘Lady of the Lake’, which is melodious, yet powerful throughout. The sound marries with the lyrics to give the listener a real sense of being carried up to a higher place.

The album closes out with the slower-paced ‘Citadel’. The track begins with a short piano section that progresses to Bowles’ vocals, which sound almost ethereal. The magical imagery that ‘Citadel’ paints is a fitting end to an album steeped in the sounds of a fantasy land, but that highlights very real issues.

Ultimately, while Fearless perhaps leans a little too heavily on its Rush inspirations at times, there is still enough variance to keep listeners engaged throughout an hour of powerful guitar riffs, solos, and vocals. And that’s not to mention its wondrously rich sci-fi atmosphere that’s truly a delight to explore.

 

Xsnoize Author
Sam Williams 11 Articles
Sam Williams was born in the UK but has lived the best part of the last ten years in Taipei. There, he spends much of his free time floating between the city’s live music bars and trying not to drink excessive quantities of bubble tea (the weight gain is real). When not out and about, he writes and edits for a local English magazine, which requires him to be a stickler for good grammar, though he’s admittedly not immune to the occasional slip-up. His taste in music could best be described as eclectic, but if pushed would probably say his favourite genres are blues, grunge, trip-hop, and various forms of rock.

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