Review Summary: Feet are freezing
It's late, and I can hardly see. Perhaps it's my long, thick, drenched hair strands whipping against my eyes; maybe it's the frigid, overwhelming downpour obstructing my sight; or possibly the impotence of my vision has something to do with the overcast night sky and the unlit canal trail I'm running on. What is and isn't directly linked to my incapacity to see is disregarded by me because I choose to do nothing about it. I feel hidden. I feel safe.
The trail is snowy from the night before; it's muddy, uneven, and wet. Every so often, I step in a puddle; dirty, biting water splashes across my legs. It sends a jolt through my body. My mouth is wide open, yet I can hardly utter a reaction. I'm alone, and it feels weird to speak or even make a sound. I step in a muck patch, and it slows me down as the mud attempts to loosen my shoe. The muddy residue on my shoes from the patches weighs me down. I should be ready to give up. The conditions are far below poor. The raindrops sting my face as I run. Yet, I feel an odd sensation of comfort. Despite all factors—my oversized shirt glued to my chest from the rain, the chafing, and my hands—my inordinately sensitive hands were aching.
Running in the pouring rain in mid-winter, I am muddy and numb. Yet, the sensation of comfort remains. The adrenaline is carrying me through. It is almost as if the harder I pushed, the warmer my brain felt. The repetitive, layered guitar and bass ringing in my ears are situationally perfect. They are sharp, direct, and piercing, yet they leave you anticipating what happens next: will they subside or intensify?
The album Feet Always Cold is like a perfect storm.The only source of light I have comes from lightning, which illuminates the entire mountain in a sharp, piercing purple. The light vanishes as quickly as it appears.
From piercing, layered electric instrumentation to absolute silence, only to explode again all at once with exhilaration, the whole album feels like adrenaline rushing through your veins. The entirety of the album feels crisp and refreshing. Joey Duran spent seven years on this album; he started working on it at fifteen. The monstrous, five-hour-long debut was released as a complete mystery. As far as the public was concerned, Joey hadn't existed up until the unanticipated release of Feet Always Cold. It was released as a “shadow drop,” meaning no marketing whatsoever was done prior to the release. I have listened to the album Feet Always Cold multiple times now, and though the first experience was remarkable, this album is by no means a situational one.
Highlight Tracks: "The Meteorologist," "Blue Sand Desert," "Feet Always Cold," "Motionless Waterfront."
