The passage of two decades has done little to dull the jagged, romantic edge of ‘City Fallen Leaves.’ If anything, this anniversary reissue confirms Comet Gain as one of the few ensembles capable of capturing the seeming duality between youthful idealism and the encroaching shadows of adulthood. This record is not a mere collection of songs but a frantic, sprawling map of urban survival and broken-hearted defiance. At its helm, David Feck continues his role as the poet laureate of the disenfranchised, his guitar and vocals providing a gritty, earnest anchor to the band’s restless energy.
The lineup for this definitive era of the group remains a formidable assembly of independent spirit. Jon Slade, formerly of Huggy Bear, brings a razor-sharp sensibility on guitars and piano that pushes the arrangements beyond standard indie-pop tropes. The rhythmic foundation is equally compelling, featuring the steady, melodic bass work of Kay Ishikawa and the propulsive, lived-in drumming of MJ Taylor, whose history with Morrissey lends a certain dramatic weight to the percussion. Floating through these often-turbulent waters are the vocals of Rachel Evans, whose contributions provide a vital, haunting counterpoint to Feck’s weathered delivery.
The reissue begins with “The Fists In The Pocket,” a manifesto of pent-up frustration that sets the stage for a record obsessed with the tactile realities of living. It flows into “Days I Forgot To Write Down,” a track that perfectly encapsulates the album’s preoccupation with memory and the ephemeral nature of time. This sense of beautiful damage continues through “Daydream Scars” and the abrasive, visceral energy of “Bored Roar,” songs that feel like they were recorded in the heat of a single, desperate night.
One of the record’s greatest strengths is its ability to pivot between the local and the cinematic. “Seven Sisters To Silverlake” bridges the gap between London grime and Californian dreams, while “This English Melancholy” serves as the record’s atmospheric heart, a sprawling meditation on a very specific kind of national malaise. The band is never afraid to lean into the chaos, as evidenced by the sneering, kinetic drive of “The Punk Got Fucked” or the sprawling, literary ambition of “The Story Of The Vivian Girls.”
As the album enters its final act, it shifts into a more elegiac register. “Just One More Summer Before I Go” and “Draw A Smile Upon An Egg” offer glimpses of a fragile tenderness that lies beneath the band’s outer crust. The eccentricity of “Your Robert!” and the intimate, stinging clarity of “Fingernailed For You” lead toward the domestic exhaustion of “New Mattress.” The record eventually begins to dissolve into a beautiful, hazy conclusion with “Gone Before We Open Our Eyes” and the defiant uncertainty of “Right Now? No.”
By the time the record reaches the closing notes of “The Ballad Of A Mix Tape,” there is a profound sense of having lived through something significant. Comet Gain has always understood that the best music is a shared secret, a collection of moments caught before they disappear. ‘City Fallen Leaves’ remains a monumental achievement of resolution and grace, a reminder that even as the city changes and the leaves fall, the spirit of resistance and the hunger for beauty remain unchanged.
Visit Bandcamp and Tapete Records HERE or THERE for more information.
