“If there were a Venn diagram with Sonic Youth in one bubble and CCR in the other, Festiva’s [sound] would be in the middle.” That’s how Carver Arena-Bruce, frontman of Portland’s Festiva, introduces his band—and after hearing their new album All Things In Moderation, I have zero counterarguments.

And yet, I was still caught off guard by the sheer level of noise, and how effectively that noise contrasts with the songs themselves. There’s a remarkable balance of dissonance and melody on All Things In Moderation. But maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised—after all, the press release notes that Arena-Bruce was raised on a “singular cocktail of eighties DC punk, Catholic school, and jazz band.” That kind of background is bound to produce something a little off-center, and a lot compelling.

Lyrically, the songs are introspective, conversational—like talking to yourself in a mirror—and they explore struggles with faith, doubt, and the practical limits of the universe. There’s a lot to unpack here, and if you’re like me, a lot to appreciate. This is noisy, thoughtful, and surprisingly tuneful art punk that hits a nerve.

All Things In Moderation is out now on LP via Repeating Cloud.

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