Arts Fishing Club: Rothko Sky - Album Review
By Bre Cura
Arts Fishing Club (AFC) recently released their first full length album ‘Rothko Sky’. Nearing the end of a four month tour, Philly was graced by their presence on July 13th as the band played Milkboy, which Shaky Cam was so excited to be able to cover. With a sound that fits right in with some of the best indie rock bands Philly locals would recognize, AFC left their mark on the city as we were left anticipating this new installment in their catalog.
The album turns every corner with ease. As soon as you feel like dancing, you're given those three minutes to move. And as soon as you feel a hint of pensiveness, you’re given those three minutes to stay still. A hodgepodge in the best possible way, any listener could easily find a song to connect with. ‘foster falls’ is a strong lead as the opening track, with an intro that grabs your attention and reminds you that you'll be kept on your toes for the rest of your time under the Rothko Sky.
I’m a sucker for slow, sad, and reflective songs as oftentimes vulnerability isn't hard to come by. Even more so than that I admire when an upbeat song presents those same qualities- the vulnerability peaking around from behind quicker tempos and jovial instrumentals. I love when a lyric catches your attention and makes you want to read through the song, looking for things you might not catch if you were just taking the track in without dissecting it. Those who want an easy listen are satisfied, and those of us who like to dig have something to look forward to. ‘doug song’ and ‘space cow’ were those tracks for me on this release.
The lyrics to ‘arizona’ mention the phrase “rothko sky” throughout, making an argument to be either the thesis of this album, or rather a standout track for the band itself. It was after catching this connection and listening to the lyrics more in depth that I decided to start my listening experience from the top, and go into it with a mindset more geared towards considering the album as a linear allegory of love. Whether this was romantic love or platonic love I wasn't sure, but I began to see the rise and fall of the relationship.
I think I've landed on this story of love being romantic in nature,especially after hearing ‘hello heartbreak’, but really I think it could easily portray many of the same emotions felt when a friendship ends. This album quickly switches into a perspective of a crumbling relationship and spends majority of its time in the somber chaos of the aftermath. Whether the relationship existed in bliss only long enough to account for the first two tracks of the album, or if we are only catching a glimpse of the timeline, it's refreshing to acknowledge the pain of moving on can be felt just as heavily in either case. I really have come to appreciate the organization of the tracks on this album because regardless of how long any stage of the relationship lasted, if you aren't ready for it to end, it is going to feel like the duration of the journey takes place in those longing, ruminative stages.
The mood shifts slightly as we come to the track ‘bad=woman=bad’, followed by ‘heart will remain’. It starts to feel more as though what is being portrayed is that weird gray area of mournful appreciation and ultimate acceptance of the end. You still long for the best parts while knowing they may never be familiar again. ‘keep on walking’ talks of laying old loves to rest even when the direction you're headed might be unknown. Sometimes our only option is to continue on because ultimately we are only inspiring destruction if we cannot rebuild something better.
Heartbreak can be a familiar cycle, and the final track leads us right back into the possibility of it starting all over again. As the album ends with a more upbeat song, I am rewarded with an inkling that maybe what I have taken away from this listening experience is what was intended. In ‘#tornadotext' we hear the lyrics “oh what's it worth, when we all get hurt, if we don't rebuild again’. I love to write my takes on albums as I’m listening, so this was just a really cool way to finish it out after realizing I had just written that same idea to close out my previous paragraph.
I walk away with ‘emery’ as my favorite track, just working so well on its own as it hits the sweetest spot of honest emotion. There's a subtle touch of pain in the drawn out cries of the word burn, which progressively becomes more apparent as the song continues. I’m reminded of Caiola's song Alaska, both by the tone of the lead singer and the overall feeling I'm left with as the song closes out.
As a new listener, I am very happy to have found some tracks from this release to add to my own playlists. Strong lead vocals, interesting musicality and a cohesive presence, Rothko Sky was a story told well.
Photos by Jonah van Bemmelen
