Factories’ self-titled EP is a document of suffering. Its three synth-rock tracks have the “cry for help” feel of a botched suicide attempt.
Fortunately, it is not the cry of someone you barely know making you think nasty thoughts about “sucking it up.” Bryan Marscovetra’s pleading vocals sound like he’s really working to bring himself out of a depressed monotone. This isn’t a stranger looking for attention; it’s a friend that really needs a hand.
The music keeps the sadness in the vocals from becoming tedious. The band (all former members of Underwater Getdown) knows how to keep things moving. Audra Marscovetra adds keyboards and additional vocals and Mike Duffy brings guitar and beats to the table. These elements act as a buoy. They are the struggling self-worth of the songs’ speaker, keeping his head just above water.
A word about the beats… Yes, they sound a bit like something Postal Service would use but Factories takes them to a darker place. They sound far less polite and car-commercial-ready. I imagine Factories being listened to in the moments after a breakdown (any kind; nervous, communication, you name it). I expect Postal Service in a dentist’s waiting room.
“I don’t know anybody/I’ve been flying solo (so low?).” This is a lyric from “Kamikaze”, the EP’s second song, and it sums up all the sentiment here. Other examples: “…chattering teeth roll out,” “…a thousand promises I never cared to keep,” and “It was only a dream/but I fell for it.” You won’t find any comforting moments here.
“Pressure,” the EP’s final track, leaves us with an air of uncertainty. Marscovetra repeats a couple of lyrics that make me wonder what happens next. First “It’s getting darker,” a statement in direct opposition to the title of the first song, “Couldn’t Be Darker.” Then “It’s getting closer.” But what’s closer? Suicide? Salvation? Maybe the speaker doesn’t even know. I look forward to Factories’ LP being released later this year so we can find out.
