Down by Half

Everyone knows the feeling of love and loss and Fathom Line’s debut album, Down by Half, captures that raw emotion with the band’s country-esque rock.

The album’s opening track, “Hope You Never,” quickly establishes that this is indeed the type of music you listen to after a bad relationship. It’s a mixed cocktail of revenge, bitterness, and acceptance that captures the swell of emotions a person goes through a breakup. “I hate her.” “What’s wrong with me?” “I still love her.” These are the kind of thoughts this one song conveys.

While the subject material may be all doom and gloom, the melodies themselves are actually pretty upbeat. Guitar, bass, drums, piano, and a whole variety of percussion instruments populate each track with a soothing tune. The instruments speak for themselves, with little post-processing work done. There’s no trickery or overproduced music, just pure melody.

Vocals are performed by lead guitarist Michael Ferrier and pianist Ashleigh Still. They have commentary voices to each other, and while Ferrier takes the lead on most songs, Still occasionally explodes to the forefront with a more active singing style. Ferrier is able to capture the essence of a heartbroken soul while Still will pick you back up off your feet.

Down by Half is one of those albums you listen to when you’re in a sulky mood and want a pick-me-up. It’s relaxing and puts all those conflicting emotions into multiple tracks, meaning that there’s something for every type of person. I’ve never heard Fathom Lane before now, but I look forward to hearing more from them in the future.