I haven't done a review in a while, but I felt the need to talk about this one. I recently started going to local shows, after seeing Rookie Of The Year, with All Gone Grey as an opener. One of the first local bands I heard was a very new band called Evening's Fable. Now, Evening's Fable has done something very unique. They are a three-piece rock band with only a bassist, a drummer, and vocalist/keyboardist. No guitar whatsoever. Now, if done properly this could sound really good. On the other hand, if done wrong, it could be impossible to listen to. I was pleased with the live show they put on and enjoyed their demo CD. However, those were two short songs that only scratched the surface. The first thing I noticed about their EP, is that besides having updated versions of By The Conductor's Wishes and The Capture, It had two songs, both over five minutes, one nearly six minutes. Now I enjoy a long song, but only if it can stay interesting for the entire length of the song. Could Evening's Fable do that? I was about to find out. This is my review of Chapter One: Auroras Of Autumn by Evening's Fable.
Track one is an updated version of the song By The Conductor's Wishes. What I enjoyed about this song, was that it told a great story in less than three minutes, and was musically, unlike almost anything I'd ever heard. It's not common to have a rock song these days with no guitar whatsoever, but Evening's Fable did just that, and they did it well. On this version, the drums sounded a lot better, as did David's voice. And I think the piano outro was improved in this version. Overall, a great way to be introduced to Evening's Fable.
Track two is another updated version of a demo song, this time, it's The Capture. While I always liked By The Conductor's Wishes better than this song, this is still very good. It sounds more like a normal rock song than By The Conductor's Wishes, which sounds more like a song written to introduce people to the style of Evening's Fable. While the lyrics are more simple than the previous song, it's still a good story, and as with By The Conductor's Wishes, this version sounds better than the demo.
Track three, and the first 5 minute Evening's Fable song, is called Childhood Ghost. This is a very dark song, and a very well written one. And while the keyboard sometimes sounds just a little too much like that of By The Conductor's Wishes, it still manages to be a very original and thought provoking song. I was very pleased with the fact that it didn't get boring and kept my interest until the very end. This song proves that Evening's Fable are not one-trick ponies, and that they can write a song that is long, but still interesting.
Track four, and the final song on the EP is called With The Season. This is possibly my favorite song on the EP (although it could just as easily be By The Conductor's Wishes), as it showcases the style of Evening's Fable, coupled with some of the best lyrics on the EP. The song itself isn't as long as Childhood Ghost, but it features an ambient outro that brings it to nearly six minutes. However, like Childhood Ghost, this song does not get boring, and while some of the ambient ending seemed like it could've been cut out, it could be a perfect transition to Chapter Two, which comes out later this year. This is also the most diverse song on the album, starting off slow, then gradually speeding up until it slows down for the ending. It's one of those things that feels like a conclusion, but also seems like there's more of a story to tell, leaving the door open for a sequel. However, it is a very good conclusion to a great first EP.
Best part of this EP: Evening's Fable introduced their style to their audience, while still making great music in the process. My concern, however, is that all the songs have a similar sound. This is not a bad thing, as it is a very unique sound. However, I hope in the future, they write songs that sound very different from the songs on this EP. Even with a unique sound, it will get old if they are unable to experiment as musicians. I believe they can, as they have already proven they can make good song, both short and long, and still make them interesting. If they can do this, I believe Evening's Fable have a bright future ahead of them.
That wraps up today's review. I'm not sure what I'll review next, but I know I will review Chapter Two once it is released later this year.
