Most folks have stopped counting
Cheer-Accident's releases, but this is their first for Cuneiform Records, and it brought the band to the attention of a slightly different crowd.
Fear Draws Misfortune is somewhat light when compared to the rest of the band's discography: nine tracks in 40 minutes represent both a high track count and a low count in minutes. That said,
Fear Draws Misfortune is a very sharp and focused proposition, an excellent calling card for the band and point of entry for curious listeners. On this album, Thymme Jones stretches his creative muscle in several directions, from lyrical ("Sun Dies," superbly complex yet yearning, featuring Carla Kihlstedt on vocals) to silly ("Blue Cheadle" and its rhythmical complexity), to expansive ("Humanizing the Distance,"
Mahavishnu Orchestra-like with its mad drumming and spirited horn section). The closing ten-minute "Your Weak Heart" is also a highlight. On this release,
Cheer-Accident consists mainly of Jones (drums, keys, vocals), Jeff Libersher (guitar, vocals), and Alex Perkolup (bass), with a revolving cast of wind and string players.
Fear Draws Misfortune may be a bit more accessible composition-wise than other
Cheer-Accident albums, though still very much in an avant-prog/experimental vein, and it definitely belongs to the group's select best opuses, thanks to good (and simple) production values and strong songwriting (mostly Jones'). This one might even make a convert out of you. ~ François Couture