SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CROWN LANDS – FEARLESS

Crown Lands
Fearless
Spinefarm Records

Few Canadian bands, if any, have had a trajectory that Crown Lands have well deservingly enjoyed over the last decade. Following the release of the debut full-length album in 2020, the band pressed forward with a series of releases, each seemingly more experimental and progressive than the last: the single, “Context: Fearless Pt. I” and the White Buffalo EP – along with 2021’s live album, Odyssey Vol. 1 and a pair of covers, “Feeling Good” and “Come Together”. The Oshawa, ON duo’s latest album, Fearless doubles down into the band’s progressive roots as it ushers in a new chapter to their creativity.

Opening with the lead, 18-min single, “Starlifter: Fearless Pt. II”, Crown Lands pay homage to Rush with a larger-than-life space epic that shifts unexpectedly, while seemingly growing organically. The use of acoustic passages and electronic textures proves an effective tool of creating contrast among the ‘70s inspired tones and prog stylings. Furthermore, the echoing of sentiments first heard in “Context: Fearless Pt. I” demonstrates a growing arch among the band’s lyrical lore. The band sounds inspired as motifs come and go and are intertwined with progressions that push and pull what has become familiar until it no longer resembles its original hook. While seemingly excessive in nature, more seems to be revealed sonically with every listen, making Crown Lands’ return all the more impressive; ultimately, not a moment seems to be wasted, the entirety of the track feels necessary with nothing left feeling arbitrary, making for a truly musical experience. Front to back, “Starlifter: Fearless Pt. II”, is a masterclass in progressive songwriting and performance, with the single justifying why Crown Lands is a cut above most other up and coming rock outfits.

Without going to the lengths of the opening song, the remaining material on Fearless proves to be nearly as ambitious. Naturally, the previously released “Right Way Back” and “Context” are both highlights among the album, along with new tracks, “The Shadow” and “Revision”. Fearless comes to a powerful close with two songs: the highly anticipated “Lady Of The Lake” and “Citadel”. The former is a stunning midtempo track that feels like it was pulled straight from the Page and Plant song book with guitarist Kevin Comeau making use of an array of vintage tones and seamlessly blending acoustic guitars with crunching distortion and Cody Bowles melodic and powerful vocals howling over the drums with a sense of yearning. Living up to all the hype from their live performances and memes (check their socials for a laugh), “Lady Of The Lake” is perhaps one of the greatest songs to come from Crown Lands. “Citadel” somehow manages to build off of this, bringing Fearless to an ever climatic close with a song develops from a solo, melancholic piano into a dark and unrelentingly momentous ballad that ebbs and flows effortlessly from what appeared at first to be a simple song into massive, symphony of sounds impressively coming from just a pair of artists.

Over the course of nine songs, Crown Lands have demonstrated their worth as a leading presence in the growing wave of classic rock. Fearless is a powerful record that makes for a fantastic full-album experience. Without a weak moment across the album, Fearless is a jaw dropping album of immense musicality and refined songwriting. Worth all the praise and then some, Fearless is, by far, the greatest collection of music to come from Crown Lands as of yet, leaving no doubt of the duo’s ability to deliver distinctly ‘70s inspired music that genuinely feels fresh in today’s modern musical landscape in a way that only Comeau and Bowles could.

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