Anyone who thinks the phrase “it’s all been done before” carries real weight clearly has yet to encounter Fair to Midland. Dark, heavy, moving, cryptic, progressive art rock collides with flourishes of old-school country, Americana and Delta Blues in their sound. These Lonestar boys' genre-defying and boundary obliterating ocean of sound righteously upends the old phrase “fair to middling” from which their Texas-ified moniker was drawn.
Arrows & Anchors, the five-piece band’s first album in partnership with eOne Music, is meaner, sadder and altogether more desperate of an affair than its predecessors. “It’s a very bitter album,” offers vocalist Darroh Sudderth. “The last album had some light at the end of the tunnel in some of the subject matter. This one doesn’t have that quite so much.”
This particularly invigorating yet undeniably gut-wrenching collection of songs is the product of a string of years of career strife since the group last poked their head into magazines and record shops. Arrows and Anchors follows a change in record label, a change in management and one (“maybe two,” Sudderth laughs) changes in booking agent. All of that change and upheaval definitely played a role in the creative process; artistic lemonade from business lemons.
There has never been a lack of faith from the diehard admirers who have steadily adopted the band as their own in growing numbers since Fair to Midland’s initial pair of self-released albums, The Carbon Copy Silver Lining (2001) and inter.funda.stifle (2004). Both were explorations into the furthest reaches of the musical psyche that earned them praise from critics, fans and fellow musicians. Fair to Midland are a true “band’s band.”
So much so, in fact, that eclectic musical connoisseur and multiplatinum recording artist Serj Tankian, best known as the frontman for System of a Down, signed them to his Serjikal Strike imprint, which released The Drawn & Quartered EP (2006) and the band’s third full-length album, Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True (2007).
A killer live show and intensive roadwork as a headliner, at prestigious festivals such as Coachella, Download, Rock AM Ring and Rock IM Ring and together with bands like Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, Flyleaf and Dir en Grey has brought the band’s skillful and adept approach to art rock infused prog-metal to international attention.
There are a few of their by now trademarked tongue-in-cheek dalliances to be sure but for the most part Arrows and Anchors is Fair to Midland’s most cynical offering. By the same turn, it’s a performance album with a laser-like focus on the raw passion and intensity. In an age of overly processed heavy music, the band partnered with producer Joe Barresi (Queens of the Stone Age, Coheed and Cambria, Melvins) who sequestered them into his self-appointed House of Compression in Pasadena, California and wrenched out top-tier performances.
The recording captures an authenticity and a sincerity that’s lacking in most modern records. “We always want to work with someone who is interested and enthusiastic to work with us,” Sudderth explains. “Because at the end of the day they’re going to spend that much more time wanting to make the record their own, as well. We didn’t want to worry about everything being immaculate, pristine and polished. This is absolutely a performance-driven record.”
Arrows & Anchors is also a testament to Fair to Midland’s personal chemistry and unique collaborative perspective. Some songs were written together. Others were demoed out by a particular member – say keyboardist Matt Langley or his six string cohort, Cliff Campbell – right down to the programmed drums. “Or maybe I brought a completed song where I programmed whatever instruments I can’t play,” Sudderth elaborates. It was a very open process.
The bizarrely creative and inspired vocals and guitar work in Fair to Midland play against the counterintuitive and monstrously rhythmic backbeat of drummer Brett Stowers and bassist Jon Dicken. Matt Langley’s ethereal electronics enhance everything else. The group’s canvas is as expansive and breathtaking as the state of Texas itself.
Fair to Midland is one of the rare bands who expertly walk the fine line between accessibility and integrity, between open lines of communication and introverted psychic exploration. “We’re not gifted songwriters,” Sudderth says with genuine self-effacing humility. “So we have to be really resourceful and that’s a talent in and of itself. We do our best.”
Fair to Midland's current lineup consists of Darroh Sudderth (vocals, banjo, mandolin, bass), Cliff Campbell (guitar), Matt Langley (keys), Ryan Collier (bass), and Logan Kennedy (drums).
In November 2011, the band released their first DVD, Welcome to the Dirt, consisting mainly of band shots and fan footage of live shows. The DVD is distributed exclusively through their own merchandise site. The profit from this release helped fund a professional video recording of the band's show at The Machine Shop in Flint, Michigan on December 17. This footage will be released worldwide on DVD on March 27, 2012. Arrows & Anchors will was released on double vinyl on March 26, limited to 250 copies.
granny niblo
Fair to Midland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cut around the block,
Shake in the boots we stocked,
I'll turn your onset to off.
Cause with patience and much practice of keeping all this clean.
Wipe the floor with rust,
Abigail's lost touch and it makes for scattered debris.
For nine months, lets make much
All the bells were out of unison.
I knew not why the latitude carried on and all of our signs were made to pray to synagogues.
I was built on binds of paperback,
I knew not if the stories were told or tought.
And all of our knees were carved in sand from Leningrad.
"On", said the rod and reel, and "not a drop to drink".
"But we do", as we say, "and I'll do as I've said
Until my tongue parts the sea."
"On", said that self-defense texture of the reed.
"And it climbs, and it sings"
The lyrics to Fair to Midland's song "Granny Niblo" are enigmatic and poetic, leaving room for interpretation. The opening lines suggest that there is someone in the room who has to make guesses, cut around the block, and shake in their boots. It's unclear who this person is or what they're trying to do, but the singer asserts their ability to turn their "onset to off" and wipe the floor with rust. Abigail's loss of touch contributes to scattered debris, which may be a metaphor for chaos or confusion. The singer seems to be advocating for the importance of patience and practice in keeping things clean and orderly.
The second verse of the song shifts focus to time and place. The bells were out of unison, and the latitude carried on without explanation. The signs were made to pray to synagogues, suggesting a collision of different belief systems or cultural traditions. The singer acknowledges their own uncertainty, admitting that they were built on binds of paperback without knowing whether the stories were told or taught. The final line of the verse mentions knees carved in sand from Leningrad, which could be a nod to the legendary Siege of Leningrad during World War II.
The final lines of the song seem to offer a sense of resolution or triumph. The rod and reel say "on" and there's not a drop to drink, but the singer pushes forward anyway, declaring that they'll do as they've said until their tongue parts the sea. The self-defense texture of the reed climbs and sings, suggesting that even in adversity, there's still beauty and resilience to be found.
Line by Line Meaning
Here is the deal, you must find guesses in this room.
This is a challenge to find answers to questions in this space.
Cut around the block, Shake in the boots we stocked, I'll turn your onset to off.
Be cautious and fear for the worst because I am going to stop your efforts.
Cause with patience and much practice of keeping all this clean.
With patience and anticipation, we will keep everything orderly.
Wipe the floor with rust, Abigail's lost touch and it makes for scattered debris.
With effort, we can clean the dust and Abigail's mistakes that have created mess around us.
For nine years and square stars, tonight we have it all made.
We have been working hard for nine years, and tonight, we have accomplished our goals.
For nine months, lets make much
We have nine months to further improve and make more progress.
All the bells were out of unison.
The alarms were not in agreement, creating confusion and disarray.
I knew not why the latitude carried on and all of our signs were made to pray to synagogues.
I did not know why we continued without direction and all our efforts were going to waste.
I was built on binds of paperback, I knew not if the stories were told or tought.
I was made with fragile materials, and I was unsure if the tales we were following were even true.
And all of our knees were carved in sand from Leningrad.
We were on our knees, humbled by the difficult conditions we faced.
"On", said the rod and reel, and "not a drop to drink".
The fishing gear indicated success, but we had nothing to celebrate with.
"But we do", as we say, "and I'll do as I've said Until my tongue parts the sea."
We may not have much, but we have each other, and I will keep my promises even if it seems impossible.
"On", said that self-defense texture of the reed. "And it climbs, and it sings"
The rough exterior of the reed protects it, but it still grows and creates beautiful music.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDREW SUDDERTH, BRETT STOWERS, CLIFFORD CAMPBELL, JOHN MATTHEW LANGLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
AaronKoskelainenBass
All FTM lyrics are just genius!
Alex Cox
"And it climbs, and it sings, and it builds us pretty walls.."
Lord La Sadies
2020 still amazing !
Curtis Layton
My absolute favorite band!
Josh Lee
easily one of my top ten ftm songs, love the lyrics, love the music, all of it
Eblis Dolphin
listening to this on psychs is something else. Darroh was such a lyricist
igNoble savage
Just want to add this comment/question: how TF do (OK, how DID) they keep the pace so chill & steady but manage to make it so intense? On its face it seems uncomplicated, but the moving parts blend perfectly, & the melodies & harmonies Darroh put down just makes it f*cking SOAR.
musiclover01ization
Amazing song.
Markus Smith
Is it me, or does he say "for nine years and square stars tonight we've had it all made, for nine years IT'S MEANT MUCH tonight we've had it all made"?
Nicolás Santos
Nine months