Fervent
Once every few years, I stumble upon a folk album that makes me reach deep within myself, and asks me to examine my life, and wraps us up in a comforting conclusion: I am feeling something. I say it is the For Emma, Forever Ago effect. That’s means it feels like a warm hug; it’s warm and fuzzy; it makes you feel. Yet somehow this 2015 example comes from Raury, a rapper from Georgia. Fervent is so aptly titled: the cavernous acoustic album, with muffled lyrics and guitars, drip an aura of desperation, hopelessness, seriousness, and confusion over Raury’s personal life. There is heavy reverb that is so isolating, so lonely, which allows Raury the opportunity for deep reflection, an escape. His voice is warm, like it’s coming from far away in the back of his mind. But the ‘cave’ effect is not off-putting at all. So many beautiful harmonies come from his work. There is so much beauty in Lyrics like ‘How they fool love, it’s so you love, drept in cute stuff, meant to rule stuff,’ (Thneed); ‘I’m gonna find a way, I’m gonna find escape, I won’t hide the pain, I won’t hide my name, I know I will change,’ (Hickory); and ‘I met you in a high school hall, when I was going through withdrawals, of all the things that I went through, when my mind was much more small, you hate this place, I hate it too, but we didn’t have that much to do, and if we weren’t trapped in here, would I have ever dated you?’ (Willow) become every person’s love and heartbreak, isolation and anxiety story. Relatable stuff for folk music, but this album stands out; barely audible, hushed harmonies are woven from guitar, flowing in and out, filtering worry. Raury easily switches between the yelling of Leviathan and the whispering of Willow, which gives the album a 3D effect. As the album progressed, the word play became more profound: it was like spiritually clearing out his heartache. Hickory, Willow and Cherry Blossom finish incredibly, allowing listeners both the vulnerability and proficiency of Raury’s mind. ‘Cherry Blossom’ concludes the album on a hopeful note: it feels like he learned how to live and love again, like the sun shines as you emerge from a tunnel.
RAURY - FERVENT
RATING - 8.9/10
FAVORITE TRACKS - Thneed, Willow, Cherry Blossom
GENRE - Folk, Soul, Rnb, Hip-Hop