Cassette Review: Last Frost "Gossamer"

$6 //
Edition of 25 //
https://last-frost.bandcamp.com/album/gossamer //

When it comes to musicians (and perhaps artists in general) I tend to find that the most talented ones are struggling in some way.   To be fair, people don't really want to hear a song about how great everything in your life is going and how things are all working out the exact way you had planned-- at least I don't.   People will always follow the hardship more than the triumph, it is just an instinctive nature.    In that sense, to say that these songs on "Gossamer" seem pained feels like an understatement or perhaps redundant.

However, there is this certain level of pain having been suffered coming through these songs which will teach you the meaning of empathy.    That is to say, all songs seem to be birthed from pain, don't get me wrong, and sometimes you can feel that stronger if you're listening to the blues for example, but these are dark guitar chords and words that will just pierce at your very core of existence.

"Save The Date" opens this cassette and though it has that darkness to it I feel like it's being performed in a large space.   I don't know why, but this of comfort to me for some reason (Perhaps it is such the idea of one person being surrounded by many) and when "Incongruence" begins it has this symphonic feel like U2's "Beautiful Day".   Nothing is overtly gloomy until you really listen to this and really feel it more than once.    Even the titular track can open up the flip side in a seemingly dreamy way.

I'm not certain what to compare this with as it's not something with an easy comparison.  In terms of music you could go with a general sense and say if you enjoy the solo work of Linday Perry this would be right for you.   But in the overall aspect of it, these songs have this feeling to them on the surface-- they have an initial sense of security which they might bring you the first time you listen to them-- you might not think much of it.   But the more you listen to them, the seemingly darker they become.

What has this power to seemingly change while staying the same?  Only music can do this!   And as all music comes with a hint of darkness, Last Frost exhibits that darkness, that sadness, that pain at first in that minimal sense which all great artists seem to share.   As you familiarize yourself with these songs, however, you will come to better know that pain, that sadness, that darkness and it will perhaps leave you thinking about little else.