Review: The Fold furthers growth on “Moving Past”


On July 18, 2011, The Fold re-released their third studio album, “Dear Future, Come Get Me.” This reissue fell between the releases of the pilot episodes and first full season, respectively, of “Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu,” for which the band had written and performed the theme song and some incidental music.


But the show soon ended its original run shortly after The Fold released their “Ninjago”-centric EP “For the Spinners” in 2012, and the group was back to making original music. Unfortunately, they were in debt after funding “Dear Future” themselves. But with help from Kickstarter backing, the band was able to release their fourth album “Moving Past” on Oct. 15, 2013.


While “Dear Future” and “For the Spinners” shared a similar sound and polish, “Moving Past” takes on a more mature style befitting of the members entering their 30s, with production primarily handled by Sean O’Keefe, known for producing Fall Out Boy’s debut.


“Different Kind of Disease” sets the table with its minor key composition and lyrics about experiencing a loss that motivates you to live intentionally. “Bye Bye Love” gets the most personal of any Fold track, with the instrumentation building up from acoustic guitar to full band sound. The song details a different kind of loss, as frontman Dan Castady imagines what it will be like when his daughter grows up and leaves the house. 


The love songs on the record seem to mainly pertain to married life. “Crooked Road” waxes poetic about loving someone who makes living feel easy, while “Closer to the Ground” describes continuing to love your partner past the honeymoon phase. The latter also emphasizes the instrumentation with heavy drumming from Mark Rhoades and fiery guitar from George Castady.


The stripped-down and folksy “Love” takes it a notch further and explores more spiritual types of love, which is consistent with the band’s tendency to allude to Christianity without feeling too hamfisted.


“Live Forever” has a cliche chorus, but the verses and acoustic guitar-driven backbone inject some substance to make it a true anthem. “La Da Da” explicitly chronicles Dan’s musical and personal journey, from his days as the drummer for Showoff to forming The Fold and settling down.


The title track adds electronic elements to the band’s alt-rock sound and features Rhoades’s best drumming on the record. The lyrics creatively remind listeners that growth is nonlinear, perfectly summing up the album’s thesis.


The spacey “Another World” lays out the band’s frustrations with reality and escapist desires, setting itself apart with some of Dan’s best vocals. “My Side” ends things on a somber note, with bouncy bass from Matt Pittman contrasting faint strings and lyrics about a breakup that makes the person who got dumped question the entire relationship.


The bonus tracks add levity for those who prefer happy endings. “Life is a Song” employs light keys to soundtrack lyrics about falling back in love in the big city. Finally, there’s “Dreams,” a rewrite of the penultimate track on “Dear Future.” This version adds guitars, more impactful drums and additional lines that demonstrate growth between albums.


“Moving Past” sees The Fold take full advantage of the spotlight “Ninjago” had shone on them and use it to craft a body of work that feels truly grown-up. Even if the show hadn’t returned a year later to grant them a permanent spot on parents’ playlists, they had created one of their best albums, one they can continue to be proud of.


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