Similarities and differences. We follow these lines when trying to define the music of the five Texans, because it looks alike by certain and typical for the style indices to the modern faggish pseudo-metal of the emo-generation and the Linkin Park-like artificial goods, but also differs from them by the same indicators. Strange, isn’t it? The preliminary expectations before playing the CD of the not so young band (this is their third full-length attempt) are high because of the nice artwork and the fact that the guys are signed by Serjical Strike - the recently established record company by Serj Tankian, vocalist of System of a Down. And then the impressions come. The music is the first measure for comparison. The playing of the band runs around nice, sometimes cutting but always melodic guitar punches, keyboards for a shade and samples as decoration. All of this is standard for the emo-scene of impersonal melodies with as if concentrated strength and aggression, but insipid by the high “emotionality”. Well, while the painted and bushy snivelers play big deal and tear themselves of posing and their music actually sounds as if it is chewed over for barely ovulating gals and their virgin boyfriends, with Fair to Midland all of this comes real and reacting, and you can follow the way and the growth of every passage, of every interesting idea in the composing process. And, god, modern metal with a piano! Wile! Then come the electronics. Contemporary alternative metal cannot stand without sample melodies and varied noises as a background for the songs. However, unlike the cheeps and the frequent domination of the computer generated lines of Linkin Park, here they aren’t irritating but a lively part of the homogeneous whole of the record. The vocals are maybe the strongest trump of Fair to Midland. The singing is mostly in the clean register and often passes in the high tones, which highlights the lyrical and melodic strength of the songs. And no, it is not the annoying twaddle on otherwise robust guitars. Darroh Sudderth sings really emotionally, without weeping about his misfortunes and the misery of the young generation common for the miserably-enraged complaints of My Chemical Romance and other notable castrates. His vocals are powerful and flow like his chest is a spring of the emotion and his voice is its proud flag bearer. His timbre is often close to the specific (and amazing) singing of Chad Gray of Mudvayne - whether in the low or high specter - which is the next advantage for the band. The reckoning: Despite combining all the characterizations of the current alleged as metal wave that flows mostly from the States and the UK, “Fables from a Mayfly” shows that with brains and talent everything is possible. The polished mainstream hermaphrodites should hide in shame behind their acne, because Fair to Midland proved that you can play modern and emotional music without being gay.