Charles Francis Moothart, a frequent collaborator with
Ty Segall and
Mikal Cronin, launched his solo project
CFM after a painful split with his significant other led him to record a breakup album, 2016's
Still Life of Citrus & Slime. 2019 brings a third album from
CFM,
Soundtrack to an Empty Room, and the good news is
Moothart seems to have gotten over his broken heart. That's not to say he's suddenly become a happy guy, though.
Soundtrack to an Empty Room is steeped in the darker side of the human experience, and while it seems
Moothart had been taking another stab at love, "Greenlight" suggests it's not going any better for him than it has in the past. Despite all that, he isn't bummed out -- he's angry but energized, and he's using his bad mood to fuel a big slab of potent hard rock with a garage punk accent. Tunes like "Crashing Through the Static," "River," and "Peace" are built around the fat, emphatic tone of
Moothart's guitars, and they howl eloquently while the bass and drums put plenty of muscle behind the crunch. When
Moothart turns down the volume on "Greenlight" and the title cut, he doesn't cut back on the emotional intensity, even if they sit on another side of the mind/body balance.
Soundtrack to an Empty Room isn't about rocking your blues away, but on these sessions,
Moothart has found a way to face up to his unhappiness while drowning it out at the same time. Though that may not be emotionally healthy, it makes for some fine rock & roll. If you like
Moothart's frequent collaborators
Segall and
Cronin, you should treat yourself to some time with this genius of all things romantic that rub him the wrong way. ~ Mark Deming