Delightfully slow and airy notes soar nicely over the steady march that opens this year’s A Monument. Building its way into stereo is “Anchor,” the lead track from Tu Fawning’s May release. It is a wonderful representation of the familiarity and comfort level these four musicians have achieved together.
Initially a side project of sorts, Joe Haege and Corrina Repp turned collaborations between Portland groups into a brand new concept. The indie musicians now form half of the group that toured throughout the U.S. —primarily with fellow Portlandians AU — following the arrival of A Monument earlier this summer. Now meandering the European Union to spread the good word (and sound), Tu Fawning is in the process of winning over fans worldwide with their concise while wide-ranging nine-track sophomore LP.
Playing out like a genre sampler pack, A Monument can hit you in many ways. Haege intended for this album to stay away from the repetition that defined their debut and, while quite successful in removing the predictable pop redundancies of 2010’s Hearts on Hold, each of the nine songs seem to contain a certain romantic quality. “Anchor” sets the tone for both this loosely held theme and the strong feeling that these are some talented musicians. Repp’s voice, in check with the synthesizer guiding the light feel, remains laid-back without losing its tone of importance, even with the ever-building percussion party assembling behind her. Haege, a frontman who handles both guitar and drums, spearheads the quartet’s impressive resume regarding musical instruments.
Repp and Haege are complimented by Liza Rietz, who brings her knowledge of piano, organ, and violin to the scene, and percussionist Toussaint Perrault, who is in fact responsible for most of the synth work on the album. Each of Tu Fawning’s members have percussion in their arsenal and, with “Anchor” as evidence, all are adept at blending patience and timing into their penchant for drum frenzies. Enjoy as the number of instruments builds and leads the procession from a march to a gallop.