Fractured - Fractured Masses

 Ladies and Gents I have an unusual one here for you. I'm coming back from my Christmas break to review a collection of singles by the guitarist Reckless Velvet, who is collaborating on these tracks with another artist by the name of Shawn Sidetrack. Together they form Fractured Masses, and their first record Fractured is aimed for release in mid January of the new year. However, you can get an early listen to the album as every track slated to be on it is already live on streaming services as singles released within the past year. So while this is not yet an album, but rather a collection of singles, I am going to move forward as if it were a full album. Away we go.

The track listing was given to me in the following order, so I am unsure of the actual track order on the finished record, but I will comment as to what I believe should be the album opener and closer.

1. "Lost In You" is a ballad, and a piano ballad at that. It's somber, features a piano and no guitar, which is odd for a musician who describes himself as playing mostly guitar. I truly hope that this is not the real album opener, as opening a record on a slow note is not the way you would want to go. The melody is sweet, though repetitive, and I'm not sure how I feel about the vocal pairing here. I would consider using another featured artist on the record Jenny Stevens on this one. Maybe.

2. "Til The Well Runs Dry" picks up the tempo and energy a hair, though not enough to get my motor running. It's grungy and bluesy in it's sound, and features a nice guitar solo just over halfway through. While I don't love the vocals and disinteresting song pattern on this track, it certainly is a step in the right direction.

3. "Fractured," if my information is correct, will serve as the title track of the upcoming record. It's a higher energy, punk sounding rocker track that is most definitely a bigger step in the right direction. I dont love where we started, but I do like where we're headed.

4. "She Left Me In Nashville" is another ballad, bluesier than the first. I think I like it better than "Lost In You," but I'm still not completely sold on the ballads from this collaboration of artists.

5. "Still Ridin" is arguably the best match between the song's overall sound and the vocalists tone I heard on the whole record. The energy is high, the badassery is high, and it's my pick for what should be the opening track on the record. 

6. "Deep Drop" is a close second for my pick from this whole list. It continues on the high energy badass train, though maybe more metal than its predecessor. What caught me off guard with this one was the singer's lower pitch in his vocal delivery. Perhaps the song title should have given me a heads up... I also have to note the guitarists solo work here, it works it works it works until its suddenly over before I was ready. The abrupt ending could have used some more polishing I think.

7. "Nothing In Particular" is another good energy rock track, featuring another fantastic solo. I believe the guitarist's solos are the shining star of the whole record. Hands down my favorite component of each song. However, to the contrary of my previous song analysis, this solo also ends in an abrupt manner, however it fits rather seamlessly in the song this way, and I can actually forgive it. I still don't love the shortness of the solo's end, but it is less clunky and awkward here than in the previous track.

8. "Watching The Waves" is another ballad, which, to continue my previous thought, ends again rather abruptly. But the biggest caveat to me with this track is the long samples of crashing waves in the beginning, and the seagulls at the end. I get why artists use these samples, but it just never lands with me. I always get taken out of the experience with these things. Long samples are on my list of Synic Sins.

9. "Flower Woman" is probably my favorite ballad on this whole list. It features a different vocalist, this time Jenny Stevens replaces Shawn Sidetrack, and all due respect to Shawn, but having Jenny step in to deliver this ballad was most definitely the right decision. While the lyrics are a little too repetitive for my taste, her tone and the harmonies work so much better here than on the previous ballads. I would love to hear a full collaboration record between Jenny and Reckless Velvet.

Album Artwork Not Provided

Fractured - Fractured Masses

Due Mid January 2021

Favorite Track: Still Ridin

Least Favorite Track: Watching The Waves

Rating: 6.2