Search - Feral Children :: Second to the Last Frontier

DO NOT MISS THIS CD

now | phoenix, az | 08/25/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The best cd of the year by far. Feral Children waist no time and pull out all the stops for your listening pleasure. DO NOT let this CD pass you by. It will change how you listen to music and will corrupt your mind and soul... and make you want to live out in the woods barefoot and pregnant with a little baby joseph stalin. I wish I was as detailed as the reviewer before me, but she said it all, so I will just add...

Second to the Last Frontier YOU MUST BUY THIS CD NOW. thank you."

Feral Children will blow your mind. This album is amazing.

Anna Deem | Chicago, IL | 08/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A few months ago, I came across Feral Children's SXSW EP, a four-song sampler showcasing some of the Seattle quintet's strongest tracks to date. If you were a fan of that EP too, than you'll be happy to know that all four of those songs can be found on Second To The Last Frontier, Feral Children's reissued full length, released last month. Although it may be a reissue, this album is Feral Children's grand introduction to fans outside the Seattle area, and it's safe to say they come out swinging; their raw and unruly Yeasayer-meets-Modest Mouse sound radiates from each of the twelve tracks on Frontier.



The album opens with singers Jim Cotton and Jeff Keenan trading vocal yelps on "Spy/Glass House," and never once lets up, or allows the listener to predict what they're going to hear next. "Billionaires vs Millionaires" plays like the best song Modest Mouse never wrote, while "Baby Joseph Stalin" is reminiscent of Man Man, with jumpy piano and maniacal laughter, with a little more melodic cohesion than Man Man are capable of, and "Jaundice Giraffe" is creepy in the best way possible, full of haunting vocal harmonies, echoed guitar riffs, and a refrain of "They love your skin / They love your yellow skin, they do."



A handful of tracks later and Frontier delivers another one-two punch with "Cannibal Prison" and "Lost In The Woods," the former focusing on Cotton's commanding vocals, with piano and guitar scales that beautifully crash into one another, and the latter a seven-minute plus epic that is Feral Children at their most restrained and, dare I say, mellow. Just like on their EP, Frontier closes with "Zhyghost", forcefully summing up the entire album with its galloping chords, tribal-sounding drums, and driven bass line.



Not very often does an album come along where recommending every track feels appropriate, but in this case it's hard to refrain from singing the praises of every vocal inflection, every mesmerizing guitar riff, and every well-written lyrical twist that comprises Frontier. As if it wasn't clear enough already, this album is going to blow your mind. Jump on the bandwagon now, before Pitchfork and Stereogum steal this band out of the unknown and place them where they rightfully belong, alongside their more successful indie-rock peers."

Simply amazing

Jonathan Peffer | Rochester, NY | 08/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I first ran into Feral Children my first reaction was honestly, "what the hell was that, where am I, yes that was tobacco, and god I think I like this." The more I listened, the more I fell in love with the album. Their ethereal sound mixed in with primal vocals, really was a fresh and welcomed surprise. I think their debut album really holds true to the definition of feral.



Second to the Last Frontier was self-released back in 2007 and was my favorite album of the year without question. The album saw a proper release in 08 after the band signed to Sarathan Records. Hopefully this will give the Seattle five the exposure they surely deserve.



If you are blessed to live on the West coast, do yourself a favor and go see these guys. I am told they put on an amazing live performance. If you are unfortunately westwardly challenged, like me, pick yourself up a copy of Second to the Last Frontier. Think of it as an early birthday present because you know your ears deserve it.

"