Written by Jennifer Moglia
Since forming in 2014, Fiddlehead has been the definition of a supergroup for fans of hardcore, alternative, and all of the surrounding subgenres. Including members of Boston straight-edge favorites Have Heart in vocalist Pat Flynn and English emo band Basement’s Alex Henery, this band was bound to impress.
While their 2015 EP “Out of the Bloom” put them on the map, their debut full-length “Springtime and Blind”, released in 2018, is what Fiddlehead is most known for. Written about Flynn’s experiences after the death of his father, the album holds themes of hope and moving on among that of sadness and grief, crafting a perfect blend of a emotions that many have connected to in years since.
Now, three years later, the band has finally returned with new music! Fiddlehead dropped their latest single “Million Times” on March 16th, coupled with the announcement of their sophomore LP, titled “Between the Richness.”
“Million Times” is a slam-dunk of a lead single, sonically similar enough to their first album but still showing signs of experimentation and maturity. Like on “Springtime and Blind”, the hardcore and punk influences are evident, but not necessarily as a musical inspiration; Fiddlehead’s music is best described as energetic, more than heavy or angry.
Lyrically, the track is incredibly strong. Flynn’s writing expertise shines as always on striking lines like “What’s love if not a war for peace that never ends?” and “How do I say goodbye to a love I’ve loved so wild a million times?”
Flynn’s emotion and passion from past projects is still ever-present, simply taking a more polished form. It’s evident that now, recently married, ten years removed from losing his father and two years after his son was born, the frontman has done a lot of growing up in the past few years.
Following up a record that means so much to so many people is a daunting task, especially when it’s about a topic as heavy as losing a parent, but it seems like Flynn and Fiddlehead have the right approach. The idea isn’t to ignore or brush aside the loss, but to explore what life looks like in the years following it, when people have stopped saying “sorry for your loss” and the sympathy cards have stopped coming in the mail.
Similarly to Touche Amore’s “Stage Four” and “Lament”, I can already see how “Springtime and Blind” and “Between the Richness” might almost be seen as companion pieces to each other after the release. If one thing’s for sure, it’s that fans of Fiddlehead will be counting the days until they’ll finally be hearing new music from this dynamic, incredibly talented band again.
“Million Times” is available to stream wherever you listen to music, and you can pre-order the new album “Beyond the Richness” as well as new (and old) merch on Run For Cover Records’ online store. You can keep up with Fiddlehead in the weeks leading up to the album by following them on Twitter @FiddleheadUSA, and make sure to follow us on Twitter @lgndsoftmrw to be the first to know when our full review of the album is out on May 21st, 2021!
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