The debut release: bringing a 'new kid on the block' band into the public eye for the first time and giving us the initial glimpse of what a young group is capable of playing and, if they last long enough, what they will accomplish down the road. That sentence sums up how, year in and year out, the instrumental community has grown to view fresh blood. Enter Frail By Design; the name itself has a looming uncertainty to it, with the band's debut, a self-titled 4 track EP, providing the vessel of exploration. The first thing we learn about Frail By Design is that they break all expectations, everything previously said about debut releases doesn't apply to this group. Formed in 2003, they are in no way a new band, and seeing that they've lasted this long already, chances are their bond isn't a frail one at all.

“What It Means To Hope” is introduced with a outpouring of uplifting, organic sounds. While the track does play out rather conservatively, it's a beautifully done piece that gives the listener exactly the upbeat song he wanted for an opening.  The next track is a little different; “A Longing For Peace” features the same instruments as its preceding track, but employs them to achieve a different feeling altogether. The viola takes a larger role in the arrangement here, and even though there is a wide range of instrumentation called upon and thick layers to progress through, it is able to carry the sorrowed feeling throughout the track's entirety. It's this aspect of Frail By Design's music that we grow to love, the way in which the band has absolute control over the listener's emotions while never swaying from the main point.

Emotions again come to the forefront in “Losing Your Best Friend” (just as the name suggests), which is a song packed with melancholy. Fittingly enough, the track substitutes a violin for the viola in order to better keep the mourning afloat. Throughout the track, Frail By Design show us that the many years they spent without having a release weren't in vain, as each member of the band displays mastery of their instruments as, in at least one part of the song, each instrument shows how it is capable of carrying on the moody ambiance of the track. “Waiting Patiently” demonstrates that Frail By Design is capable of being simplistic as well; the track starts off rather desolate,  picking up hope, and with it, the pace also begins to quicken.

Frail by Design have constructed an EP which displays their own sound which, while not daring, is capable of captivating an audience. Although this EP is their first work, it shows a band that is not only mature, but also knows what they are capable of creating and what their limits are. In a day and age where plenty of bands are attempting to push the edge of the envelope, it's nice to have one that doesn't, resulting in a relaxed effort that will be remember in the listener's heart years down the road. Lets just hope that Frail By Design's bond stays sturdy enough for another release in the near future...

-Erich Meister