Review Summary: Local Kennesaw band, Femignome's debut EP, Dark Powers is a very interesting and unique listen.
It was August 23, 2014. I had the pleasure of seeing this talented young duo at a local Kennesaw venue called The Warehouse. Two sisters, Anna Jacobson and Kate Jacobson, on guitar/lead vocals and drums/backing vocals respectively, present a very unique sound that is hard to come by in music these days. Femignome impressed me so much that I just HAD to hear more. So, I strolled over to their merch table and picked up a shirt and a copy of their debut EP, Dark Powers.
When I put the CD in my car, I was struck by how old it sounded. This EP was produced in 2014, however it sounded like something that would fit right in with the early 90's alternative music scene. The Breeders album, Last Splash comes to mind. Anna has a very interesting voice. Rather gritty and shaky at times, but pleasant to listen to. She sounds a bit like Donita Sparks of L7, but much more mellow and melodic. I noticed that most of the drums on the CD were produced by a drum machine. This was very confusing to me, because Kate was an excellent drummer live. My best guest is that she hadn't joined her sister in the band until after the recording process had ended.
A flaw that will annoy any audiophile who hears this EP is it's production. Dark Powers a DIY record for sure. Almost all of the recording and mixing was done by Anna herself, instead of going to a professional studio. At several points throughout, Anna's vocals can get a bit too loud and start sounding distorted, luckily, this is a rare occurrence which only happens in very short bursts and doesn't take away too much from the overall enjoyment of the record. The drums sound a bit too roomy as well, although I think it's probably a simple matter of the samples used which could be fixed altogether if this EP was rerecorded with Kate's live drums instead. The most bothersome problem with the production is the guitar sound. Specifically when chords are being played. It can be rather difficult to record high-quality sounding guitar without professional help. I may be completely wrong, but I assume that Anna placed a microphone next to her guitar amp and recorded using that method. Most microphones aren't really designed to record such a high level of noise, so the quality of the tone suffered quite a bit. With help from a studio, however, Femignome could improve this. Despite the production, the music is still wonderful and I will review each track now.
1. Dark Powers
This song begins with a very nice three chord riff and drum beat. The verses have a rather upbeat sound which contrasts the vague and disturbing nature of the lyrics. Anna shows off her impressive knowledge of melody to create a catchy chorus which while simple, gave me a feeling of mysterious wonder and got stuck in my head for days. Her singing is dynamic and the vibrato she adds to the end of certain lines was excellent at holding my attention. After the second chorus, there is a very nice clean guitar solo which lasts for around 30 seconds and transitions perfectly into the final chorus. It's a fun and playful song and a great opener for this great EP. (10/10)
2. Fairyland
This song is the first song featuring Kate on background vocals. While the lyrics are a little hard to make out at points, I think that just adds to the trance-like, dreamy feeling of this song. The only problem I have with this song is it's length. It leaves me wanting a bit more and I felt disappointed at the way it ends abruptly. Impressive vocal harmonies through out and unique guitar tone. (8.5/10)
3. Elephantdaschundman
My least favorite song on the EP. The overall sound is very muddy, as if all the instruments are fighting each other to be the loudest and none of them quite come out on top. This is the only song in which I have a problem with the vocals. The chorus is very annoying to me and unpleasant to listen to. The lyrics are interesting but the vocal delivery ranges from monotone and boring to obnoxious. Too much is going on. Femignome does best when the song is simple and this one is complex and confusing. Hard to digest for the listener. (3/10)
4. Inner Age
By far this song is my absolute favorite. The lyrics are incredible. Wonderful use of melody and story-telling while keeping to the typical vague style of Anna's lyrics. Everything about this song is catchy and works well. The guitars and drums aren't fighting the vocals. Instead, they work together and enhance each other. The song returns to the trance-like, mysterious mood of Fairyland and improves on it. Everything is much more clear but still retains that feeling from before. Perfect song. (11/10)
5. Dark Powers (Slow)
Another version of the titular opening song. This one is -as the parentheses clearly point out- slower. But not only that. It seems a lot less energetic, like Anna's tired from all the kick ass music she's just created. I don't have to much to say about this song, because it's almost identical to the first version other than the different vocal delivery and more downbeat mood. It's a very fine closer to this EP and the last "Official track". (9.5/10)
6. Untitled hidden track 1
When this song started playing, I was quite confused, it wasn't listed on the back of the CD with the other songs but I remembered it clearly from the performance. A very fun song, it sounds like something that would play at a circus of some kind. The lyrics stay strange as always, talking about a "ghost baby in my basement". I have no clue what exactly Anna is talking about, but it's interesting enough to keep me listening. A nice little bonus track. (7/10)
7. Untitled hidden track 2
This song might be a live recording. Kate is playing the drums on it. Anna's guitar and vocals are muffled and hard to hear, I could only make out some bits and pieces of vague lines about "baby teeth" and "six fingers" very strange. (4/10)
Overall, this EP is very good and is worth a listen. If you are into underground, indie, local bands that make good music and deserve more attention, Dark Powers is for you. I hope to hear from from Femignome in the future.
