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JFH Music Review


Fever Fever, Native Color
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Fever Fever
Native Color



Artist Info: Discography
Genre(s): Indie / Alternative / Worship
Album length: 6 tracks
Street Date: 2013


Fever Fever's national debut Aftermath, which slipped by largely unnoticed last year, was a fantastic alternative rock album that became more captivating with each listen. One year before this Slospeak-released album, the band put out an equally impressive independent acoustic album, entitled Native Color. Though more stripped down than its previous and successive projects, it is no less complex or intricate, featuring a fresh blend of xylophones, guitars, mandolin and strings (among other organic/acoustic instruments).

"Clouds Catch Fire" introduces Native Color with a soft kick and rich acoustic guitar picking. Drew Murfin's rugged-yet-smooth vocals are soon layered in, followed by a breezy flute hook, backing vocals, hand percussions, and finally a second, brighter acoustic guitar. In the last 30 seconds, the music abruptly stops, leaving Drew and company singing acappella. This mesmerizing song hinges on a mere 24 words repeated four times, "come, let's go to where the clouds catch fire / breathe in that air you so desire, where the clouds catch fire," and yet, it couldn't be a more inviting way to open the 21-minute EP. From there, we are taken through a whirlwind of intriguing sounds and melodies that will make you smile on the gloomiest of days.

Half of Native Color's lyrics revolve around feelings of romantic love, and though they are sometimes a little shallow, they are delivered flawlessly through vivid and poetic metaphors. A perfect example of this is the first verse of "Mystery of Love," where Murfin sings "these fragile legs can't go no further / these prideful knees drop like boulders into the dust" to describe falling in love. But the songwriting is most remarkable when Murfrin tackles other themes. On "Everyday," he makes you to think deeply about how we search for answers in life that are right in front of us (arguably talking about Jesus) with a few simple words, "every day we see the shore / every day we look for something more / and yet, we still roam the earth."

These six songs may not be individually as stunning as the stronger moments of Aftermath, like "Blue" or "Sea Meets the Earth," but the Native Color renditions of "Beautiful Dream" and "On Top of the World" (renamed "A Line in the Sand") are superior to their re-recorded successors. Additionally, there are no filler tracks, such as "Windward" or "Inceptiones Novae." If Fever Fever drops the overly-sensitive moments of their songwriting (something they still had on Aftermath), they will have the recipe for a masterpiece. As we wait for that defining work, do yourself a favor and pick up a free copy of Native Color on Noisetrade, and be sure to leave a tip for these fine gentlemen.

- Review date: 4/17/15, written by Christopher Smith of Jesusfreakhideout.com



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. Record Label: None
. Album length: 6 tracks
. Street Date: 2013
. Download It: Noisetrade

  1. Clouds Catch Fire
  2. Hallucinate
  3. Beautiful Dream
  4. On Top of the World
  5. Mystery of Love
  6. Everyday
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This Friday, October 17, 2025
ALBUMS
ANTHNY DIARY ENTRY 1 [Provident]
AOH Music BEHOLD (Acoustic Live), Vol. 1 (independent)
Blanca Full Bloom [Curb]
Chris Blue Every Day Is Christmas [Gaither]
Geoff Moore and The Distance Foundations (Re-Release) [Girder]
Geoff Moore and The Distance A Place To Stand (Re-Release) [Girder]
Vince Gill 50 Years From Home: I Gave You Everything I Had - EP [UMG]
Nate Parrish Make Me A Mountain (independent)
Psallos The New and Better Way: Hymns of Hebrews (independent)
Anne Wilson Stars [Capitol CMG]
Megan Woods The Truth EP [Fair Trade]

SINGLES
Elevation Worship Jesus Be The Name - Single [Provident]
F'rael God's Wheel (ft. TRYBISHOP) - Single [Syntax]
Brandon Lake When A Cowboy Prays (Amazon Music Songline) - Single [Provident]
LEON Undefeated - Single [El Rescate Music]
No Vain Glory UNLEADED - Single [Syntax]
Park 7 The Hope Is On The Way - Single (independent)
Rave Jesus & Gracie Binion Need Your Love - Single [Provident]
REFVGE, Cyfë II & WAY? U P W A R D S ft. Bianca Silver & Josh LeCroy - Single [Syntax]
Rhymes In Harmony & MAYIA My Sister - Single [Syntax]
Rock City Worship Gravestone - Single [Capitol CMG]
Anton Scholl Born To Love You - Single [Near Kingdom]
Nathan Sheridan Don't Lose Hope - Single [WieRok]
SNT. VINCENT Feast of the Saints - Single [Syntax]
Vertical Kings Faith In Stereo - Single [Covenant]
Vic Lucas, Essence Natay & Ashleey Barnes Let it Rain - Single [Syntax]
Zane Vickery All Things New - Single (independent)
Aaron Williams Abide (feat. CAIN) - Single [Integrity]

DVD
Chris Blue Every Day Is Christmas DVD [Gaither]

Next Friday, October 24, 2025
ALBUMS
John Allan untitled EP [Centricity]
Dan Bremnes The Villain - EP [Curb]
Clear Convictions Endure [Resuscitation]
God Behind Bars Music Live From Angola Prison Vol. 1 [Provident]
Fepeste This World Ain't Mine to Change [Velvet Blue]
gio. FINE BY ME [Capitol CMG]
Brandon Lake Amazon Music Songline [Provident]
Tyson Motsenbocker Modern Worries [Tooth & Nail]
Smalltown Poets St. Augustine (independent)
Zahriya Zachary Rediscovery [Bethel]

SINGLES
29:11 Worship, Zion Rempel You Never Fail (feat. Emily Guy) - Single [DREAM]
Joe L Barnes Grief, Joy, Gratitude - Single [Provident]
Chad Cory, Zacardi Cortez My First Love (Remix) - Single [DREAM]
Leanna Crawford Beginning Of Your Grace - Single [Provident]
darthy Juniper Tree - Single [WieRok]
Emerson Day Midnight Hour - Single [Fair Trade]
Good Weather Forecast lows2highs - Single [DREAM]
Grace + Max Rich - Single [WieRok]
Mercy Tribe Music The King is in the Room (feat. Ayiesha Woods) - Single (independent)
Mountains in the Sea You Never Fail (feat. Emily Guy) - Single [DREAM]
Seph Schlueter Already On The Way (feat. Benjamin William Hastings) - Single [Provident]
Tomb Slayer The Christmas Lamb (feat. Khristian Dentley & Sarah Whittemore) - Single [Tomb Slayer]
The Undertaking! All Smiles - Single (independent)

VINYL
Clear Convictions Endure [Resuscitation]


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