'Falcon' worth buying for backstory alone -- but the music's good, too
Falcon, "Falcon" (No Office)
One of the more remarkable stories in modern music, Falcon (not to be confused with the article-prefaced Lawrence Arms side project) is a collective of musicians performing songs exclusively written by Jared Falcon, who recorded these five (and 331 more) in middle school on a tape recorder, before his death at the hands of spinal meningitis at 14.
The curious story alone makes this debut EP worth purchasing, but these songs (and these performances) really sell themselves. Without being told the story, listeners would be struck by haunting, deeply personal and insightful, dynamic indie rock, full of swirling guitars, thunderous percussion, warbling falsetto and a throbbing backbeat. Granted, the songs have been professionally arranged by a cast of musicians, including members of RCA Records recording artists Long wave, but the lyrics, melodies and basic song elements sound far more adult than most 14-year-old boys should be capable of.
"Birds And Mice" and "Listen In" are the obvious standouts, but all five tracks are phenomenally strong. Neil Rosen's voice evokes the feeling of being 14, the insecurity and unsure emotional footing, the simultaneous joy and heartache, to an eerie degree, and many times the songs veer into Daniel Johnston-esque paranoia, only to explode into a joyous pop cacophony four bars later.
Given that the group has a catalog of 336 songs to choose from, recorded by their namesake over a period of a year, it will be intriguing to see what else they can bring to light on future releases. Thankfully, the late Falcon's prolific nature as a songwriter was discovered by his schoolmates, and rather than being left moldering in a box somewhere, have been cast into the light as a tribute to a friend, and a testament that true talent can be found in anyone, at any point in life. "Falcon" is a reminder to express yourself, that ideas are important and valuable, and that great music can speak for itself.
- Evan Thorne