girlabe
May Fergs soul find eternal peace, this perfect remaster of his beautiful voice has brought so many memories and tears that couldn’t ever be made possible without his presence.
Favorite track: Index Finger.
Philshine
So sad that he is no longer with us. Like Elliott Smith who has a similar soundscape. Thank you so much for remastering this brilliant collection of introspective tunes. I hope more remastering happens of all his other work surfaces. Love
Favorite track: You Win, Baby.
Wedding Ring Bells was the final solo project of Fergus Miller, best known for his Bored Nothing moniker. Wishing to move on from the fuzz and haze that characterised his earlier work, for this album he opted for a more intimate, stripped-back arrangement - many songs consisting of little more than acoustic guitar and voice.
His lyrics, with raw and poetic power surpassing his Bored Nothing work, reveal an ever more tortured soul - dealing with substance abuse, self-doubt and loneliness, and foreshadowing his tragic early passing. However, despite the dark tone of Fergus' words, much of the music itself sparkles with positive energy. The chorus of "Namesake" trills merrily over a wash of guitar and keyboard. The backing vocals of "Morning Belle" weave in between each other playfully. The rollercoaster ride of emotions sends you soaring, only to bring you crashing back down with the more sorrowful tracks on the album, "You Win, Baby"and "Public Phone".
This album is the apex of Fergus talent, both in terms of technical musical and lyrical ability, and in his ability to capture and immortalise a feeling, that transmits to the listener equally powerfully every time they hear it. The intimacy of the recordings, as well as the lyrics themselves, will make this a hard listen for many. However, those who are able to push through the tears are rewarded with something unique and special - a feeling of a real emotional connection with someone you may have never met, across time.
This album is provided free, as was the original Bandcamp release in 2016. However, anyone who chooses to pay will be supporting future releases of Fergus' back catalogue.
credits
released February 11, 2019
All tracks written, recorded, arranged and mixed by Fergus Miller, January 2016
Mastered by Matt Hills, 2018
This late ’90s shoegaze record gets a full remaster on the advent of its 25th anniversary, its woozy melodies brighter than ever. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 26, 2021
supported by 4 fans who also own “Wedding Ring Bells (remastered)”
Alvvays has always been great, but with this album they took it to the next level. Every one of these songs is lodged in my brain now, permanently (in a good way). s. moxley