Paper Symphonies

Recent release: Fang Island (2010)

Sound: Guitar intensive experimental rock, indie pop music with a progressive arena rock feel

Fang Island was a pleasant surprise for me at the Minus the Bear show I attended July 5th. I was in a haze of 90 degree temperatures inside a tiny club, people crammed in barely able to breath, not really paying attention to the opener, but as soon as I heard the end of this song “Sideswiper” I froze and needed to know where this amazing sound was coming from.

It was one of the remarkable moments in your life when things don’t feel quite real—onstage was a mostly bearded quintet, three of whom were playing guitars, sharing vocals and one was clad in a cape of the American flag.

After seeing their show, and obsessively listening to their album it was clear that they are truly epic, and inexplicably fun. They even describe their sound as “everyone high-fiving everyone,” which really is the perfect imagery for how their music makes you feel.

It’s like a party in an album—not unlike Andrew W.K., but with more technical guitar work. The album oozes the pure joy that comes from the warm days of summer (including the sound of fireworks on the last track), but shockingly, it was released in February—perhaps intended to bring life to all our numb souls during the dead of winter.

Fang Island started as an art project for Rhode Island School of Design, and the excitement grew from there. Guitarist Jason Bartell said their goal is “to make music for people who like music.” It’s as simple as that…but with complicated melodies and arrangements.

Fang Island is opening for Matt & Kim this fall, as well as Coheed and Cambria, so if you get a chance to see them live, I highly recommend it. It will be nothing short of surreal, I promise.