“Things Must Fall Apart” by Mosquito Fleet – An EP Review

     Mosquito Fleet released a four-song EP under the title “Things Must Fall Apart.” Impressively, it was difficult for us to select a personal favorite among the four. Initially, it was a decision between two tracks - “Paresthesia” and “I L L I S.” Now, “Crooked Sons” is the one that finishes in front of the others.

      “Things Must Fall Apart” features strong vocals and skilled percussion sitting atop evolving guitar-driven soundscapes. The songs are dynamic, which is most evident from listening to “Crooked Sons” beginning at 2:10. At that point of the song, power guitar is in control until vocals join with “God damn my wicked kin.” Almost immediately afterward, the guitar and percussion unexpectedly exit. The accompanying tempo drop leads to hushed vocals and a periodic guitar whine. The sequence is skillfully performed and produced.

     Mosquito Fleet is an Indie Rock band most associated with Indiana – the state in which the members met. However, it is a collaborative project that emerged from four cities in which the members now reside (Dallas, Seattle, Chicago, and Los Angeles). The members are Josh Carroll, Alex Mrakovich, Phil Rode, and Joel Yoshonis.

     The Mosquito Fleet EP prior to “Things Must Fall Apart” was released in 2011. Quoting a bio that was recently written by Lauren D. Sawyer:

  Life has changed for the members of Mosquito Fleet; then again, so has the world they inhabit. The past decade has borne changes in job status and family size, cross-country moves and crises of faith. What has stayed constant is the band’s itching need to ask the hard questions, to find firm footing in a crooked world, and to invite others along on the journey. In their 2019 reincarnation, Mosquito Fleet has expanded their concerns to include the political and systemic without leaving behind the deeply spiritual insight that captivated their early audience.

     “Crooked Sons” by Mosquito Fleet 

Links to the EP: https://lnkfi.re/ThingsMustFallApart

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mosquitofleet

Bandcamp: https://mosquitofleet.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Crooked Sons” by Mosquito Fleet

What kind of waste is this anyway

What kind of place is this land

How did we get caught up in this anyway

In the name we proclaimed an order of death

I don't know this land

I don't know this land

Dignity dead and decomposing

Secrets and sins are beginning to smell

But we just keep pouring perfume on it anyway

Everyone knows everybody can tell

I don't know this land

I don't know this land

Crooked sons God condemns

So God damn my wicked kin

God damn my wicked kin

God my mother hold me

God my brother lead me

God our spirit breathing

God our brother told me

I can surely follow

So I will

So I will

So I will