Delicate Fade, although very different from Skywire, is more of a gathering of new influences than a departure, and finds Common Children moving further from Nirvana-esque grunge and closer to the likes of the Choir, (who produced the album and contributed bgvs and percussion) Jars of Clay, and Oasis. Lyrically, there is less angst and more poetry here. "Eyes of God" speaks on God's healing, forgiveness, and promises for better times in heaven: "Do you wake up without breathing/Rub on your faded smile/(these tears of love fall down)/You wanted to be perfect/You'll have to wait awhile/Dress yourself all up in heaven/let the angels dance inside these feelings/All the while the eyes of God shine on us."
The angst is not completely absent from the album - "Burn" is a song that blasts the shallowness, anti-intellectualism, and hypocrisy found in the Church that gives God a bad name. Musically, there is lots of diversity here. "Stains of Time" opens the album with beautiful cello and violin strains. The Choir's Derri Daugherty and labelmate Christine Glass lend their vocals in a few songs (Whisper, Eyes of God, Stains of Time). Marc's vocals go from melodic to a delicate falsetto to a unique, strangely melodic kind of screaming.
Though there are a few intense rock songs (Burn, Pulse), the majority of this album consists of moody, artful ballads, which actually fit the band quite nicely. "Blue Raft" (my personal favorite) is very reminiscent of the Choir's Circle Slide, and even a little of the Prayer Chain's Mercury (also produced by the Choir's Steve Hindalong). The song features 8 minutes of a haunting melody, interwoven with picking, noise, and droning guitar work. I love it!!!
In a nutshell, this is an artistic step above the last album, which is always a good thing for a band. The album will definitely appeal to a much wider audience, including some adults who didn't especially enjoy the tortured "Hate" from Skywire. So light some candles, pull out a nice book, brew some coffee, and curl up and enjoy Common Children's Delicate Fade.
Other coverage for this album
7ball #16Reviewed by Bruce A. BrownThe opening strains of melancholy strings are a definite tip-off that Common Children is trying to put some distance between the predominantly grunge territory of its debut, Skywire, and the more subdued sounds of Delicate Fade. Guitarist/vocalist Mark Byrd, bassist Drew Powell and percussionist Hampton Eugene now pick their moments to howl (literally and figuratively) more judiciously, opting…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Steven S. BaldwinThe contrast here between the melodic, catchy neo-ballads and the abrasive, loud, post-grunge rockers is so vast that this album can seem schizophrenic. It's as if the chummy cello-playing Dr. Children at times grabs a mean guitar and becomes the darker alter-ego, Mr. Common. Variety is good, but most folks aren't in the mood for mixing mellow and mosh at the same time. And yet, repeated listens…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by James StewartCommon Children's debut won them a fair bit of acclaim, but this sophomore album looks set to surpass that. Steve Hindalong has been quoted saying this is the best album he's produced, and there seems to be a fair bit of excitement around concerning Common Children. The album begins with a laidback track, bringing in cellos and violins to open affairs and then basing things around a passionate,…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Mark J. AylorCommon Children return with their second release Delicate Fade and it really is an excellent effort. While this doesn't have the intensity of their first album, it is still a powerful performance. The grungier sound from their first album has been toned down and now they have a more mature Choir-like (Free Flying Soul) sound. They can still crank it out as shown on the songs "Burn" and "Pulse"…Similar sounding releases
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