Written by Brandon George
Beyond the charismatic and gripping lyricism, past the deft and devious compositional complexity, Jhariah proves himself an absolute master at one thing: tone. Bounding from his previous release, the J-rock inspired “Debt Collector,” “Flight of the Crows” begins instantly by pulling the listener into a sprawling maze of the macabre.
With frenetic drumming and a host of horns, the song feels as though it would be well at home with the darkest of gothic sprawls. It’s a song that calls to mind acts like The Dear Hunter, Sycamour, and decades of dark musical theatre, as well as feeling apt to scoring - if you’ll forgive my insistence on referencing tabletop gaming as aesthetic touchstone - the most labyrinthine campaigns of “Blades in the Dark” or “Brinkwood.”
The invocation of theatricality cannot be understated, and is highlighted most especially in the rousing leap from verse to chorus. Where the verses are filled with spattering drum clicks and haunting vocal pads, the choruses somersault out, key and time signature change in hand, carried by horns and a jump from the gothic to the burlesque.
The lyrics are drenched in tension, carrying with them an air of regret, fear, and mourning, sprinkled with the kind of sanguine imagery that reflects the song's howling progression. Jhariah’s vocal range, too, is on full display here, going from belts and bends that dance carefully into vibrato to gentle, airy whispers meant not to disturb the horrific manse on display.
Above all else, “Flight of the Crows” is a song that sounds, from the start to its relatively short finish, like it was an absolute blast to make. It’s a truly beautiful thing to hear: when the amount of fun had in its playing and creation can be heard in the song itself. It kept me there, listening again and again on repeated drives, dancing along through increasingly dark corridors with a smile on my face.
“Flight of the Crows” is available wherever music is streaming; you can support the artist by picking up a shirt or record, as well as following him on Twitter @JhariahClare. If you, too, found yourself captured by this song, let us know by tweeting us at @lgndsoftmrw.