Fearless
Fearless asks for attention from its opening minutes. Crown Lands begin with an eighteen-minute piece, filling the space with shifting rhythms, large guitar parts and bright synthesizers. The Canadian duo's love of Rush is obvious, but the album also has the enthusiasm and melodic focus to make that influence enjoyable on its own terms.
Starlifter: Fearless Pt. II is the central statement. Its longer structure moves between forceful rock passages and more delicate sounds, with the instrumental sections carrying as much of the story as the singing. Kevin Comeau's guitar and keyboard parts give the music a wide shape, while Cody Bowles brings a high, expressive voice and active drumming.
Dreamer Of The Dawn offers a much quicker route into the album. Its direct chorus and brighter movement make a useful contrast with the opening piece. Crown Lands can write a shorter rock song without removing the details that make their longer material interesting. The hook has room to stand out among the busier playing.
Penny changes the scale further. The acoustic instrumental gives Comeau's guitar a quiet setting, allowing the melody to carry the piece without the surrounding weight. It is a valuable pause. Citadel later builds from piano into a larger closing song, giving Bowles another chance to show the strength of their voice.
The ambition does create problems. Putting the longest piece first makes the album demanding before a new listener has found their way in, and some of the shorter songs have to work hard to follow it. Bowles' upper register can also feel too sharp against the darker material. At times the familiar sounds make the influence more noticeable than the band's own character.
Those reservations do not cancel the stronger writing. Fearless contains striking instrumental passages, memorable choruses and a clear commitment to its grander ideas. It will suit listeners who enjoy progressive rock with an openly classic sound and are happy to give a long arrangement time to develop. Crown Lands make that patience worthwhile often enough, especially when the quieter passages help the next larger moment find its shape.
