In early 2017, the trans indie rock trio 4th Curtis put out their debut record I Won the Pageant, an album that veiled its angst and cynicism behind a thin veneer of energetic pop-rock. The band is now back with their follow up, Invisible Ax - an EP that has stripped that facade away, leaving the band's dark sense of humor on full display.
Invisible Ax goes from 1 to 100 right off the bat with the intense imagery contained in the opening track, "Nonstop." Vocalist/guitarist Lex Noens sings about blood on their guitar strings, a theme that continues throughout the song. In the lead up to the EP release, the band referenced a French showman from the 1700s who'd eat anything and everything as an inspiration for this song, and this theme of insatiability compels the band. Historical figures don't seem to influence only "Nonstop," but most (if not all) of the songs on the EP.
The middle two tracks are quite upfront with whom they pull from. "Marie Antoinette" has 4th Curtis referencing not only the French Queen but Cleopatra and the Virgin Mary. The song's lyrics are sung in a lamenting tone with each verse taking a turn and flipping the script. However, a standout moment on this track is the bridge — a call and response between Lex and vocalist/keyboardist Ty Gale. They seem to have all the answers, but I'm not always sure they believe what they are saying. In the following track, "Julius Caesar," Lex tells the story of a relationship that they haven't quite gotten over. Using a power grab almost as a metaphor for a shot at something you've waited to have for a long time, yet when it arrives, it isn't quite what is expected. The band hangs on the words "When the night rolls around / all I can think about is the fact that / is the fact that" before exploding into the chorus. The sudden dynamic shift feels almost cathartic like you have come to terms with something that you've known for a while.
As Invisible Ax closes out, the tone of the lyrics shifts from defense to offense. As each verse of "Goth Fuck" passes, feelings of wanting to assert dominance over the song's subject grow more and more intense. The song almost reads as a response to "Julius Caesar" — instead of being the one left out in the cold, you are the one taking over and asserting dominance. Lex's pop-adjacent inklings allow lyrics like "And I want to hurt him / I want him to like it" and "I'm killing myself just to see him twitch" slide on by before you realize what was just said.
At its core, Invisible Ax is a primer of how to playfully skirt with gloomy, often morose subject matter and still maintain a sense of humor. The clever use of historical characters like Julius Cesear, Karl Marx, and even Lizzie Borden provides 4th Curtis with a unique vehicle to include their own experiences and place them within the context of important cultural moments in human history. You can listen to, and purchase (support local music), Invisible Ax by 4th Curtis in the link down below.
Comments
Post a Comment