by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
If you’ve been keeping tabs on David Settle’s music since the end of Ex-Breathers, you’ll be familiar with the raw punk of Big Heet, the jangle of Psychic Flowers, and the big power-pop fuzz of The Fragiles. Of those projects, last year saw the release of a long awaited Big Heet sophomore record, two new albums from Psychic Flowers, and even a collection of unreleased gems from Ex-Breathers… but nothing from The Fragiles since 2019’s self-titled album. It’s understandable, there’s only so much time in a day. Luckily, we don’t have to wait too long for the project’s return, as Settle is set to release The Fragiles’ latest On and On via Living Lost Records on February 12th. While most of the recordings so far have been exceptionally lo-fi, Settle teamed up with Justin Pizzoferrato (Krill, Dinosaur Jr, Halfsour) to mix and master the album. It’s still recorded to cassette, but the boost in fidelity can’t be understated on The Fragiles’ best record yet.
The album gives you a chance to really hear Settle’s songwriting, not so much under a wall of impenetrable hiss and overblown feedback, but to get to the heart of his songs. The charm has always been there, but it’s now easier to grasp without losing the noisier elements, case in point, the album’s lead single “Kaleidoscope”. The song opens with an energetic jangle and then explodes into big hooky riffs from there. This is power-pop as intended… catchy, raw, and radiant. Settle’s vocals are coated in fuzz, often sounding like they are coming from inside your head, but the enormity of the guitars stick it all together like superglue.
Speaking about the song, Settle said, “‘Kaleidoscope’ is about dealing with anxiety issues and the healing power of therapy. Before, my thoughts and fears fractured into numerous different strains that I couldn’t focus on, like my mind was some weird kaleidoscope. Some thoughts were beautiful, some were awful, and the awful ones tended to split into more awful thoughts, overpowering the beautiful ones. Therapy provided me so many useful techniques for coping with this and organizing my mind while focusing more on the beautiful ideas. I am so grateful I finally took the plunge to see a therapist. Drums for this recording were performed by Miguel Vasquez, who drummed on a couple of tracks on the first record, as well as some Psychic Flowers songs.”