Artist: Faultline

Album: Your Love Means Everything

Label: EMI

Tracks: 12

Length: 49:58

                Reviewed By: Justin Brinker

 

Instrumentals have always been the tracks I have skipped whenever an artist or band chooses to put one on one of their albums. There is just something about a song without lyrics that I have a hard time listening to.  Maybe I feel like the song lacks passion or I have a hard time understanding what the artist is trying to convey, either way it is not my cup of tea. So it would only make sense that Faultline’s “Your Love Means Everything” would not be something listened to fondly.

 

Faultine is David Kosten, and he claims that the album is, “snapshots of my imaginary life it begins with a warped lullaby and by the time you get to the other end you’re in the land of fragile hopes and major letdowns.”  His debut album, “Closer, Colder” garnered so much critical acclaim that some of the biggest voices in the music industry wanted to lay down their vocals for “Your Love Means Everything.” 

 

In short “Your Love Means Everything” is half instrumental and half with vocals.  The music is dark, emotional mix of ambient sounds, electronica, keyboards, guitar, drums, and various other instruments. The title track, a dark ambient instrumental, begins the album and sets the tone for what is going to be a strange but beautiful journey.

 

“Where Is My Boy” features Coldplay vocalist, Chris Martin, a moody track that really complements his vocals as it builds throughout the song, but at its base features drums and keys.  “We Came From Lego Blocks” starts with just keys before the spoken word of Vordul Megilah, of Cannibal Ox, kick in over some ambient noise, slow drumbeats, and the distorted rhymes of Megilah.  “Theme For Half Speed” is a lazy instrumental a la Radiohead, just not as good and singer/songwriter Joseph Arthur lends his vocals on a cover of The Rolling Stones “Wild Horses.”  It is a nice cover just not a whole lot different than when I have heard it done by others like The Sundays. 

 

Things get boring with the instrumental “Sweet Iris” that sounds way too much like an instrumental done by Soul Coughing and “Clocks” has its moments, but I have found myself pressing the skip button to get to the piano laden “The Colossal Gray Sunshine” that has a very 1960’s pop feel to it and not too mention The Flaming Lips contribute the vocals.  The acoustic guitar led folksong “Greenfields” has Michael Stipe of R.E.M. contributing his vocals, is one of my favorite tracks on the album. “Your Love Means Everything Part 2” finishes up the record with Chris Martin laying down his vocals yet again for the reprise and quietly closes out “Your Love Means Everything.”

 

I am still not sold on instrumentals but I do believe that after hearing this album they can be passionate, personal, and draw the listener in if done right. This is a beautiful record, but without the vocals it would not stand on its own.  They really help “Your Love Means Everything” move along, without them it would drag, but it is still a strong effort.