Fever Fever - Aftermath (2014)

Pushing against the boundaries of mainstream Christian pop/rock, Fever Fever embellish their shimmery pop melodies with a host of eclectic influences to create a sophomore album that’s both immediately arresting and artistically resonant. Aftermath finds the Columbus, Ohio–based quartet expanding their acoustic folk underpinnings with orchestral pop and ambient musical touches. Andrew Murfin’s singing combines an almost naïve openness (heard in his silvery upper range) with a strength that approaches the heroic at times. The band’s fondness for diverse instrumental colors—rendered with accordions, harps, banjos, xylophones, and strings—adds depth and texture to the smart, evocative songs. Sly biblical allusions (such as the Cain and Abel reference in the title number) and love-struck imagery (lighting up “Fingertips” and “Beautiful Dream”) lend the album a welcome lyrical freshness. Fever Fever are capable of delivering uber-catchy radio fare (“Hypnotized,” “Blue”) as well as billowing instrumental pieces (“Windward,” ”Inceptiones Novae”) and subtly textured ballads (“Line in the Sand”).