The Pupils are an artistic side project for
Dan Higgs and Asa Osborne of
Lungfish. The duo's self-titled album doesn't stray as far away from
Lungfish's emo roots as one might think, but still manages to stand alone with a distinctive artistic identity of its own.
The Pupils' material is eerie, stark, and extremely powerful, with sparse guitar and percussion matched by
Higgs' plaintive wail to great effect. Lyrically,
Higgs often comes out of left field with odd imagery and oblique poetry, but several of the tunes here resonate with crystal clarity. Among the best cuts are "Fountain Flame," with its majestic lyrical landscape, and "Mysterium," which offers some of the most convoluted pairing of syllables since
Greg Graffin picked up a thesaurus. The song nevertheless weaves a hypnotic spell with exotic rhythms and echoed vocals. On the other hand, the electronic screeching of "Lamb With Human Hands" or the purposeful minimalism of "Witness the Sidewalk Weeping Pools of Martian Brine" sound like something out of
Roky Erickson's worst lysergic nightmares. Overall, the Pupils' debut is a passable effort, an acquired taste, perhaps, but one sure to challenge your preconceived notions of rock music...and that's not a bad thing. ~ Rev. Keith A. Gordon