by Kris Handel (@khandel84)
Week of Charm is the sophomore release from Fern Mayo, the nom de plume of Katie Capri, following 2015’s Happy Forever EP and one that delivers a fuller more developed sound. Capri’s debut was a mix of agitated guitar pop along with sparse semi-ballads punctuated with Capri’s quivering vocals, whereas this new release is filled with lush and wave-like atmospherics. Capri takes full advantage of all this added texture as she croons melancholically through flowing keyboards and distortion with occasional crunches of guitar. There is still a bit of muscle on this record, but also much more depth and texture which benefits Capri and Michael Thomas, her musical co-conspirator, to maximum results.
“Echo” kicks the album off between pulsing bass-work and swooping guitar before Capri’s vocals frantically break through dripping with passionate emotion. Capri’s guitar crashes and swoops around Thomas’ forceful drum fills and clanging cymbals while her vocals cascade evocatively creating a bit of a sonic maelstrom. “The Sweets” is another forceful bit of tune-smithery as Capri’s vocals slide between a laconic cool and pressured quivering fighting with pillow-y guitar distortion and a tempo that breaks and picks up at various points in the song. There is a bit of longing and frustration underneath the pulsing and slightly summery soundscape of “The Sweets” that belies the alluring melodies.
“Goddess Under Exclusion” has a bit of a gothic pop bearing to it, with it’s doomy echoing distortion and dripping guitar slithering along at a lesser pace. Capri’s vocals are drenched in a murky wash as she alternates howls and wordless cooing that pushes the heavy darkness more to the fore. “Pivot” is one of the more varied of paced songs on the record with Thomas doing some heavy lifting on his drum kit, while Capri’s guitar throws out clouds of chords before everything slows down until rolling cymbals and wafting dream like vocals. Here Capri and Thomas manage to be in sync throughout the multiple tempo and mood shifts that make “Pivot” a very compelling work.
Week of Charm seems like a bit of a dreamscape that can never be pinned down, there are moments of calm and reflective beauty mixed in with dark and constantly shifting moods. Capri clearly likes to play with a wide arrange of sounds, tempos, and vocal fluctuations which allows her songs to connect on deeper levels, creating a record with many twists and turns. The depth that is displayed here is entrancing and Capri’s vocals always rise above everything and demand their presence be acknowledged. With this record Capri has established a bit of a firmer and more nuanced voice that is continuing to grow with the passage of time and one that is beautiful to hear unfold.