Big Fugitive Life

Genre: Indie Rock

FCC (!): Track 3 “I don’t really give a fuck” at 1:14

Overview: The band’s website says the album is a group of orphaned songs banded together to form a unit. The first three songs are up-beat rock and roll tunes with off-kilter lyrics and the vocal talk-singing style of Ezra. The last three songs feature acoustic guitar, showing a darker vision of the troubled mind. Like his recent album Perpetual Motion People, Ezra’s music is heavily influenced from his life experience as a gender-fluid Jewish individual.

Similar Bands: A hybrid of Modest Mouse, Freedy Johnson, and Wally Pleasant (with saxophone!).

Favorite Tracks: 2, 3 (FCC!), 5

Tracks: Favorites (*)
1. Teddy I’m Ready - Jangly guitar starts off; high, melancholy male vocals enter; drums come in as the song transitions to a 50s-60s rock vibe; sax completes the transition; intermittent backup vocals throughout; sax takes over near the end with strong drum beat.
2. * Haley’s Comet – talk-singing vocals and crunch-jangly guitar riffs start off; light touch of drums/cymbals; moves into urgent beat with crashing cymbals; the song winds back and forth; poppy breaks with driving drums and rhythmic guitar; bass and vocal interlude with female backup; ends on a high note.
3. ! ** Little Pieces of Trash (FCC – “I don’t really give a fuck” at 1:14) – boppy tune featuring sax and quick-paced talky vocals; high energy and fun; he’s letting everyone know that he is just fine being a little piece of trash; I FEEL JUST FINE!!!
4. Penetrate – a slow folksy tune with finger-picking guitar and half-whispered vocals; a religiously-tinged little ditty about losing innocence and virginity.
5. * Splash of Light – another slow tune with guitar and male vocals; a melancholy song about having to pretend to understand a confusing world with just a “splash of light through a fuzzy filter through blurry lens”; piano chimes in for a few simple chords.
6. The Refugee –folksy strumming guitar with talk-singing vocals; bass then violin come in; vocals are constant and a bit hypnotic; a somewhat dark and emotional vision of the Jewish experience from WWII to today; “this it the sound of the Jew who refuses to die”; cello added as the song builds; clarinet enters about halfway through to round out the ethnic vibe.