Chris Mansfield, the man behind Fences, works out his inner demons on his self-titled release, a collection of personal songs that have a “Conor Oberst on a calm day” kind of sound. Most likely because of the Pacific Northwest connection, this tattoo-clad Seattle-based musician has drawn several comparisons to Elliott Smith, which seems a bit premature. But that’s not to say that Fences doesn’t have its share of tender, acoustic moments. Produced by Sara Quin (of Canada’s indie darlings, Tegan and Sara), Fences is full of well-written indie folk/pop songs that know when to turn up the heat and when to slow down and let Mansfield’s voice take center stage. – Written by DBosket
SIMILAR | Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Neutral Milk Hotel, Conor Oberst, Elliott Smith, Sea Wolf