Madison Fair

Artist: Madison Fair
Album: The Longest Day (Self-Released)
Website: http://www.madisonfair.com
Following interview from Sound the Sirens . Please visit their site for more information.

I recently got into a debate with a friend of mine about what topic leads to the most heartfelt type of song. He believed the greatest depth came from social issues (commentaries on politics, etc.), and I said the greatest, most deeply felt music comes from the pain caused by heartache. Obviously, no one can ever truly be proven right or wrong on this—but Madison Fair’s debut album, The Longest Day, does a lot to help my side of the debate.

The Longest Day opens most appropriately; a static-y hum weakly buzzes through the silence, soon evolving into a washed out musical beat. It only lasts a few moments until it slips into the first song, “More Than You Know,” but in those few seconds it lays a fantastic groundwork for what to expect throughout the entire record.

The first thing that came to my mind when I heard it was something old. Like a black and white film, a silent movie; a cracking picture, but still a story well-worth being told. It reminded me that, no matter how much things change in the world, some things remain timeless. The theme that I believe is most important in any artistic medium; be it art, literature, or music, is the theme of love. The breaking of our hearts is the one thing every living person can connect on.

The guys of Madison Fair, led by singer-songwriter Justin Register, have put together a fantastic album here. It touches on both the good side of love, and the often touched upon topic of heartache. I’ve never run across album art that has so adequately described what will be found inside. You see, slightly out of center on the cover of The Longest Day, you can make out a young man with his head in his hands. Something any person who has ridden a relationship all the way to the ground, and watched it crash and burn, can tell you is the universal sign of essentially coming to your wits end. It’s about coming to that moment when you realize something you whole-heartedly believe in, and whole-heartedly want to work out, never will be put back together. It’s about the moment you realize that you’re not going to give up, but that you’re going to continue on in vain. Knowing full-well you’re going to lose, but continuing on anyways. Because it’s all you think you can do.

Stylistically, The Longest Day vaguely resembles the sound of Mad Season-era Matchbox Twenty, but there’s definitely more here. The song structures, albeit simple, just seem timeless. Most music in this genre just comes off as self-pitying, and trite—but Madison Fair make it work. Highlights include the album opening “More Than You Know,” the simple yet heartfelt “Got to Be,” and the simple plea of a song “Stay.” All in all, this is a great little record. I highly recommend you give it a spin.

Reviewed by

Trent Moore

April 7th2005