Megafaun – Gather, Form and Fly.

There have of late, been an awful lot of folk revivalist bands creeping out of the woodwork, Megafaun are one such band.

In 2006, Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) left the band Deyarmond Edison, and went on to record one of the most critically lauded albums of the past few years, the remaining members former Megafaun. While Deyarmond Edison were a fairly tradition sounding alt.folk outfit, Megafaun, signed to an offshoot of experimental label Table of the Elements, are a different beast altogether.
Their's sound, whilst reminiscent of other artists, that doesn’t quite sound like anything else.

‘Bella Marie’ opens proceedings in a fairly understated manner “so far, so Fleet Foxes” I initially thought, unaware of what followed.

‘The Process’ brings together the two prevailing aspects of the band’s sound, the accessible, guitar strumming, drum thwacking alt.folk, and the inventivness and experimentalism that graces the record throughout. Their approach to percussion is a prime example of this, with much of it sounding like it could have been recorded in a barn, with whatever was lying around. Or what was coming out of a tap…During ‘Darkest Hour’ dripping water (have a toilet break before listening to this, in all seriousness) is used as percussion, the song brings to mind, as much of a cliché as it may be, the band sat out on a farm house porch, plucking away, eventually revealing themselves to be malfunctioning androids…as you do.

‘Impressions of the Past’ sounds very much like it could have been written by Tyondai Braxton (whose father Anthony, the band have cited as an influence) of Battles, had he taken a healthy dose of Ritalin beforehand.
In a similar way to Braxton Jr.’s band, Megafaun seem, at times, to change direction for the sake of it, occasionally, to the detriment of the songs. ‘Columns’ replete with it’s off-kilter drumming, and Barenaked Laides-esque quirkiness turns on it’s heels, just as it’s pulling you in, and becomes a mess of glitchy electronica.

It was clear from the first time I listened to it that ‘Longest Day’ would reduce to me a blubbering wreck forever more, the following lyrics, strike quite a chord, and I worry how I’m going to cope if they play this live next month…

“breathless in the morn…
…Almost been a year,
My love for you has grown,
And this weathered photograph is all I have to show”


‘Gather, Form and Fly’ is certainly a very interesting listen, a little self indulgent at times, but also eminently listenable, it’s the sound of a band getting into their stride, and I’ll be intrigued to see where it leads them.