CFM
Still Life of Citrus and Slime
Reviewed by: Tiffany Taylor
Pushing through the fog is Charles Moothart, or CFM, with his new solo project Still Life of Citrus and Slime. An ode to heartbreak and discovery, CFM has put out a work that is full of psychedelic rock and garage band noise. The album is full of hard, loud pieces contrasted with softer, slower riffs, but each is packed full of feeling. Full of pain from a breakup that sent Moothart on the outs, he decided to channel his energy and emotion into something unlike anything else. Still Life of Citrus and Slime is a rock album that 2016 has yet to see.
The album opens with “You Can’t Kill Time” which is reminiscent of an ‘okay’ ’90s jam. The lyrics are hard to make out other than the repetitive and static chorus. The song melts into “Brain of Clay” a song that is much more listenable than the first one. Each song has the same rocker vibe that projects angst and anger in a melodic way that is understandable and likable by its listeners. “Lunar Heroine” is a head nodder, not quite a banger, but definitely my favorite on the album. It has powerful riffs and a psychedelic vibe that sets it apart from other rock songs.
What I find most unfortunate about Still Life of Citrus and Slime is the similarity in each song. It is hard to tell if I’m listening to “Street Car History” or “Clearly Confusion.” Luckily some of the tracks include solos that steal the show and make the songs memorable. Overall Moothart should be commended for the work and discipline he put into the album. He completely did the entire thing on his own and recorded each song as an experiment that turned into something he did not even imagine.
“Purple Spine” offers something different than the other tracks do. The first half of the song gives a soft rock and melodic feel that the rest of the album lacks. Finally the album concludes with its title track and closes the record out perfectly. More with the feeling of an outro than an actual song, CFM has been able to accomplish from start to finish a decent rock album for the year. The album itself has its ups and downs but ultimately provides a listenable quality that psychedelic rock lacks in this day and age.
Rating: Semi-Obnoxious
