The Fugitives
Everything Will Happen
Reviewed by: Stephen Krock
In The Fugitives’ new offering to the ever expanding folksy pop rock scene, Everything Will Happen does indeed come through on the promise of its title. The album is respectably diverse, with a heartbeat that rises and falls, never flatlining.
To me, one of the worst things an album can do is sound the same on every track. And The Fugitives certainly pass that first test. We have our anthemic Mumford & Sons and Of Monsters & Men fare in “Old Mistakes,” “Bigger Than Luck,” and “Everything That’s Going to Happen,” with their driving, lively banjos and handsome, scruffy guys singing in unison. They have their share of lovely, melancholic tracks, “Ring” being one particular standout. And they jovially explore their potential in the grandiose “Dinner with Clara Haber,” wherein they are joined by a delightful dose of brass, and the haunting “My My.” In this way, I’m reminded of Fleet Foxes, but without the intricate harmonies.
Therein lies the problem. Everything Will Happen always sounds nice, but often not completely authentic. The Fugitives do not disappoint, but they also do not stand out among their folk rock brethren. If only they would do a little more exploring and really make their lyrics (which are quite poetic) pop, they could stand alongside their musical kin instead of slightly in their shadow.
Rating: Listenable
