Do Not Fear To Kill A Dead Man is the third album since the 2010 formation of five-piece band Elison Jackson. It takes folk rock to a new level by mixing it with ’80s synths, church-like chanting, and booming drums. This nine-song record is sung with a country twang and includes songs about love, spirits, and dying towns, but with an unexpected shot of energy.
The opening track, “Tongue On Fire,” quickly establishes how the rest of the record will sound through the use of lead singer Sam Perduta’s lovesick voice and background instruments with a noise similar to whistling wind. The lyrics are typical of folk rock: deep, metaphorical, and incredibly descriptive. “No Tomorrow” packs a heavier musical punch and is definitely darker in theme than most of the other tunes.
Separating itself from the other songs, “Disco Teen” includes the addition of synths, causing an unusual country-meets-new-wave sound. The title-track is eerie and slower, but still similar to the others. “Sad Cellar Door” starts off with a slow rhythm and vocals with soft, subtle keys, but builds up to a climax that includes rumbling drums, guitar, and keyboard. It closes the album the way it started: full of force and vivacity.
This release is certainly unconventional, but that’s what Elison Jackson are all about. Do Not Fear To Kill A Dead Man features music that is radically different from the slow, relaxing folk rock to which many are accustomed. This is definitely not a negative aspect, as it makes the band’s style refreshingly new.
In A Word: Modified
