Revisiting Cassavetes’ Faja Blues

“Young Hearts” “Music is the space between the notes.” Cassavetes use this seven-word quote from Claude Debussy to summarize their approach to creating their second LP Faja Blues. Their self-description fits aptly, as the Atlanta quartet relies largely on their compelling lyricism and heartfelt candor to bring their straightforward sophomore effort to life. After searching for their sound on their debut record the group opted for a scaled-back musical approach, a choice that wisely placed songwriter Robbie Horlick at the forefront of this band.

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Faja Blues opens with “Young Hearts,” a sincere anthem with a heavy dose of Bruce Springsteen-influenced rock. Horlick incorporates the best of the Boss into the album’s opener, crying out “when we were young hearts, and when we were crying / when we were special, and hermits and dying” with a sense of urgency and hopeless romanticism. Horlick’s knack for storytelling remains Cassavetes’s ultimate strong suit, narrating his stories with nostalgia at one moment (“we’re singing torch songs / we’re singing swans / we’re putting out fires that are already gone”), while remaining pensive and earnest at others (“if you hadn’t died / I would’ve found you / it would’ve been alright”).

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At times, however, Cassavetes lack a certain musical cohesion, trying out their hand at one too many different things. “People Get Old (Older People)” is a fish out of water as the lone punk rock track on an Americana record. Ultimately, Faja Blues leaves listeners yearning for more of the Springsteen within Horlick. Despite its minor shortcomings, the album remains a big step forward for Cassavetes, resonating as warm, alive and one of the Atlanta’s best-kept secrets of 2010.