EDITORIAL REVIEWS
On Fits of Laughter, frontman Ryan Anderson crafts the patchwork poetry of his lyrics by serenely observing the world around him. When matched with the band’s gorgeously jangly collision of country and folk-rock and dreamy psychedelia, the result is story-songs graced with raw humanity, wildly offbeat humor, and a transcendent sense of wonder. For help in forging the album’s ragged elegance, Bendigo Fletcher worked with producer Ken Coomer (original drummer for Wilco and Uncle Tupelo), laying down the album in nine frenetic days. The album bears an undeniable immediacy, thanks in part to the band’s decision to limit the tracklist to eight essential songs (a move largely inspired by extraordinarily lean and iconic albums like Television’s Marquee Moon). Referring to Fits of Laughter as a coming-of-age album, Anderson also examines a more internal conflict throughout the songs, including his choice to abandon his medical-school aspirations in favor of pursuing a career in music. “The title’s really about the spectrum of emotions I’ve felt on the way to finding what makes me feel like I’m living truthfully, rather than holding onto what I think other people’s expectations are of me,” Anderson shares. “It’s a phrase that bridges all of those emotions—everything from joy to hysteria.”