Taking their name from the lyric “Mend your heart with Soldier Thread” by Patricia Lynn, Austin-based The Soldier Thread create a delicate balance of ambient and rock music that would certainly aid in mending a broken heart. Male and female vocals gently flow through tracks that range from soft and ethereal to loud and intense. Their 5-track debut EP, Fevers and Fireworks, is a small taste of things to come. The Album Leaf influence is apparent is some tracks, however the band’s sound is very much like a watered down version of Gregor Samsa. The tracks are relatively short in length, and lack the dramatic climaxes that Gregor Samsa executes so brilliantly (eg. “Young and Old”).

The EP begins with the ambient piece “Ten,” a sweet and pretty track consisting of keyboards, chiming guitars, and aaahhsss supplied by the female vocalist. It isn’t a bad track, just pointless and forgettable - not a great way to open a debut release. The next track “Spin” starts with a bang! Consisting of a stunning mixture of guitar, keyboard, drums and viola, there is also a lone line of lyrics that weaves itself in and out of the track. “The Silver” and “A Drug Like This” are vocal-driven tracks showcasing the harmony between the male and female vocalists, and the mixture of vocals intermingled with the dreamy instrumentals is outstanding. The keyboard-heavy finale, “Fevers and Fireworks,” is a gorgeous instrumental track with a melancholic mood.

Fevers and Fireworks may not be an earth-shattering release, but is overall an incredibly enjoyable listen. The band definitely has potential to create something amazing, hopefully their next release scheduled for 2008 will get them one step closer to it.

- Leanne Simpson