Distorted Guitars and Unique Vocals

Listening to The Fresh & Onlys’ seventh full-length album is reminiscent of The Cure-era music that was once so popular. The album, Wolf Lie Down, is only eight tracks in length, but in that short amount of time, The Fresh & Onlys prove why they have been a successful band for nine years and counting.

The first thing that stands out about this album would be the vocals. While the vocals are unique when placed against today’s music, they could also be compared to those of Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio and Blink 182. The opening track, “Wolf Lie Down,” is full of distorted guitars backing the soothing vocals of Tim Cohen, making for a strong open to an overall solid album.

The second track on the album, “One Of A Kind,” is a strong track on the album in the sense of the atmospheric feel it provides to the listener. While it is six minutes long on the album, it truly feels like a track made for a live show. While listening to the song, it is easy to really envision it being played live in a room full of people that are stoked to be there.

“Dancing Chair” is the next track on the album that really sticks out due to the lyrics. The best line in this song is, “What have I been running from? / The same things I am walking toward.” It stands out from all of the other lyrics because it seems like such a relatable thought to have.

The remainder of the album is pretty solid; however, the song “Becomings” doesn’t seem to fully fit into the flow of the album. The Fresh & Onlys are the type of band that should stick to the more upbeat and fast paced tracks because it fits their sound a little better than the slower vibe.

Wolf Lie Down has its pros and cons throughout the album, but overall it can be considered a good sign for The Fresh & Onlys because it shows they are still capable of making a solid album after being a band for so many years.