Octoberman — Fortresses

Fortresses

White Whale

Scott Bryson (CHARTattack)

09/01/2009 3:06pm

Fortresses is definitely a different sort of album than the last Octoberman release, 2007's Run From Safety. Marc Morrissette, the primary songwriter behind the Octoberman moniker, has been steadily moving farther and farther away from the folky sounds of his early catalogue.

Most noticeably, Octoberman seem more like a full-fledged band these days, and they're leaning in the direction of Winnipeg's The Consumer Goods. Opening track, "The Backlash" is packed full of more instruments than you'd expect to hear from this once-hushed act. As well, singer Leah Abramson has taken a more active vocal role this time around with great success.

The almost-spectral nurse on Fortresses' cover is a good indicator of its overall mood. While its instrumentation is far from somber, most songs find a way to be positively eerie and "Dancing With Yer Ghost" is one of the year's creepiest tracks.

The only complaint: These songs tend to fade from memory quickly. It'll likely take a number of listens before Fortresses becomes an unforgettable album.

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