by Kris Handel
Lync first released their debut album These Are Not Fall Colors back in 1994 on K Records and now upon it's 30th anniversary and the sad passing of frontman Sam Jayne at the end of 2020 it is being reissued for a new generation of listeners to introduce themselves to the band’s universe. Lync were formed in Washington in the early 90s and brought a knotty and shifting formula to their music made with a bundle of energy and passion from those involved: Jayne (guitar, vocals), James Bertram (bass, vocals) and Dave Schneider (drums). Jayne's lyrics were sparse and repeating with a wry smile attached to almost every line while his guitar careened around like some wild mix of Fugazi/Unwound and Built to Spill accompanied by his nervous and cracking vocals, occasionally buried yet still powerful. Lync pushed the louder elements of K Records at that time period to a different level, with a sense of naivety and earnestness, yet there was a strong conviction and a willingness to play with time signatures, never truly staying in one space.
On songs like album opener "B" and "Cue Cards," Lync amp up their intensity and show off their musical strength as Jayne's forceful and straining vocals are combined with a backing shriek and a pounding rhythm section on the former. His guitar caterwauls full of distortion before easing into a ringing and loping guitar riff. As a melody starts to bubble and surge underneath, Jayne strains and shouts "and you proved once again / when in trouble, when in trouble that / you only need your own air to breath / and the knife in it all says / It's not killing unless the killing is serial". "Cue Cards" tones down the angst a little bit but still proves itself to be quite impactful with a sprightly guitar line and bouncing bass pushed along by cymbal crashes and snare drum rolls. Jayne's vocals are a little more recessed here as the song begins to build a dirge like rumble into the chorus akin to the more emotive aspects of post-hardcore with a bit of quirky Pavement-like blurring of noise and off-kilter harmony.
"Angelfood Fodder & Vitamins" starts off with a ringing and bent guitar riff and a hushed vocal performance from Jayne as feedback rings beneath powerful drums that sit a little askew from the bass. Lync go back to one of their strengths with the soft/loud dynamics at play as the song alternates between a dark and stormy anxiety pierced by a bit of sunshine after the musical storm surge comes to climax. "Perfect Shot" is a burst of charging adrenaline as reverb driven guitar crashes over pushed back vocals and the rhythm section clatters along gloriously with the uptempo punk chaos of the song. Lync show off their ample ferocity as the song charges steadfastly forward full of knifey guitar leads and prodding bass that works itself around and through the almost unhinged melody.
These Are Not Fall Colors is a record that lets its emotional power do a lot of the heavy lifting. Jayne's songwriting is vague and occasionally impenetrable, but the force in the execution is energizing and intense. This album is always a little forgotten as one of the more impressive releases of its time and has set itself apart from the grunge outbreak that was happening in pop culture and the Pacific Northwest music scene. Jayne may have had a bit more of a reach or success with his later project, Love as Laughter, but Lync were a band that could bring together seemingly different and odd influences, pushing them in unexpected directions. They were a powerful band that often played on the uncertainty of life and brought an artier approach to music rather than just pure muscle and anger. These Are Not Fall Colors is definitely an imperfect record, but that adds to its appeal and although it can be a little disjointed, it's an album with an intense emotional appeal that has not faded an ounce, a testament to its vitality to this day.