Absolutely stunning and not at all atrocious

After a long four years of pure radio silence, Fleece finally released their third studio album, Stunning and Atrocious, under their very own Fleece music record. The band comes in strong with a more refined ambient tone that feels like a warm spring breeze. The album is full of lead singer Matthew Rogers dreamy vocals that fans are ever so familiar with in previous records. All the while, the music behind him ebbs and flows with psychedelic synths, spacial and heavenly guitar delays, all kept in time with soft yet poignant percussion.  

This Montreal Quebec queer quartet formed back in 2014 is currently made up of members Matthew Rogers, Ethan Soil, Megan Ennenber, and Jameson Daniel. The band found their popularity on YouTube when they released their video “How to Write an Alt-J Song,” comedically parodying the group Alt-J. After the release of the video, it quickly reached over seven million views, jump-starting the band forward. Stunning and Atrocious truly is a full-band effort. Bouncing off tones created from band members’ past, they came together to each add their element delivering an album that held their original tone but is now all grown up. From the drums to the guitar, bass to vocals and all surrounding soundscapes in each song, there is beautiful clarity within each note that truly transcends the speakers that were sort of amiss within their previous two records. Don’t be fooled, the record still holds those fast percussive drums and catchy licks, but now everything is vibing a bit harder than before.  

One of the first singles to come off the record, “Bodies Lie,” highlights the group’s eagerness to make it a team effort. This track allows guitarist Megan Ennenber to take the wheel and lead on a song from writing to singing, while Rogers happily takes harmonies and background vocals. “Bodies Lie” is a strong one off the record with gentle acoustic guitar and warm vocals perfectly paired with powerful electric guitar and thrashing drums.

“Do U Mind? (Leave the Light On)” hands down is the best track off this album. The song is blissful and enchanting as it draws in the ears and the heart with each whimsical note. The lyrics sing, “we’re not in love/ But I want to feel like I am tonight,” describe a feeling all humans at one point in life have deeply felt. Rogers and Ennenber’s vocal harmonies in the hooks blend perfectly with the atmospheric and psychedelic synths.

Showcasing their psychedelic punk tone, “Like It A Lot” comes in with the crashing drums, hot, driven and gritty bass topped with twangy electric guitar. Though it hits a bit harder among the other tracks on this record, it still brings in real delicate synthetic moments. “My Type (I Don’t Mind) ” also carries a heavier bouncing tone. Though not as heavy as “Like it A Lot,” “My Type (I Don’t Mind)” has hard-hitting moments that simply punch through along with softer sections and to the bounce of the song.

The closing track, “Losing Time,” starts with a tone fitting for the end of a western film, but quickly it turns into a Shins style indie song. The lyrics sing of “losing time,” but the song is powerfully uplifting. Continuously, it flips and flops between this clapping western tone that oddly pairs well with the pop tone, with the song, carrying high energy to close out the album.

Fleece truly hit the bullseye with their third record Stunning and Atrocious. Beginning to end, the album draws the listener in. Fans will love the refined tone throughout the record, and even if you are new to Fleece, there are no regrets about giving this album a shot.