Spectreview: Flying Fish Cove – At Moonset

-LIGHT GREEN-

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The term “aesthetic” gets thrown around a lot (see: here) but Flying Fish Cove already have their specific image down pat on their debut release for Help Yourself Records. Influenced heavily by the optimistic melodies of Teenage Fanclub as well as playful, grassroots indie acts like Frankie Cosmos (whose Greta Kline guests on the jaunty opening number “Johnny Paper”), At Moonset bounces with sweet, clever pop melodies peppered with a potluck of quirky instrumental accompaniment. The tiny twinkles of marimba fleshes out “Dangerous Words” into way more than an Ariel Pink homage, while “Bob & Sylvie” sways with violin on the outro and “Sleight of Hand” surges with an effusive lead guitar line and soft harmonies. It’s the overall strength of the melodies, paired with lead vocalist Dena Zilber’s wondrous pixie demeanor, that help the album gain momentum over its half-an-hour runtime. Indeed, Zilber’s lyrics are an undeniable highlight, a bouquet of classic literary references and fantastical imagery that posit the quirks of contemporary life in a distinctly youthful light that borders on naïveté. They help give subjects like the old couple in “Bob & Sylvie” or the titular vehicle in the delightful “Cammy the Camry” come to life. While the compositions and musicianship are both solid, the album somewhat suffers from a thin production quality, which works in the context of the band’s style but smudges some of the complexity of the arrangements. Songs like these demand more presence, and hopefully future releases will see them seeking better help on the production end, because this band absolutely needs to release more music.

Recommended for sunset tripping on mushrooms at Volunteer Park.