Frozen in Devotion with Eiafuawn’s New “Endless Body” EP

Lee McNally

Local Music Journalist

While Duster is one of the most well-known slowcore bands, various band members have some underappreciated side projects. Take vocalist Clay Parton’s slacker rock project Eiafuawn for example, which is most well-known for the 2005 album, “Birds In The Ground.” Earlier this September, Eiafuawn released a new EP, “Endless Body,” which was a total surprise for me and many other Duster-adjacent fans. So much so that on multiple online forums, Eiafuawn listeners doubted the prospect of a new release, believing it was a joke. While “Endless Body” is a mere sixteen minutes long, I’ve found myself returning to this distorted, dreamlike escape, plus a landscape of enchanting lyrics. All I can attempt to ask myself is: how can a four-track EP be so meaningful?

The first track, “Take Me To My Room,” already hits you with a steady bassline and Clay Parton’s seemingly ageless vocals, as he sounds exactly the same as he did for “Birds In The Ground” in 2005. To me, the lyrics “Call me from the moon / I’m hiding from everything” highlight this album’s overall theme of a dissociation from reality, which Parton amplifies through softly distorted vocals. Eiafuawn tends to play with the juxtaposition of breathy, tongue-in-cheek lyrics while also lulling the listener in and out with distorted guitar that somehow is never too abrasive. “Take Me To My Room” reminds me of Duster’s affinity for dealing with space-age haze in their lyricism, which reflects more clearly in Parton’s own EP.

In “People Talk,” Parton seems to speak to the listener directly with the line “Are you frozen in devotion?” I find that this track beautifully depicts the concept of self-fulfillment, and how temporary isolation can often bring an emotional catharsis through internal growth. This is furthered with the line “I’m not the one you lost,” which speaks to the listener as a reminder to connect in a secret place of their own, and as a warning to not lose oneself. This track stands out to me as my absolute favorite, as I keep feeling drawn to the melodic wanderings that Parton takes us along as listeners, almost drawing out a hypnotic element. To me, this track also reminds me of another Eiafuawn song called “The Coffin Was So Light I Thought It Might Float Away,” from the previous album “Birds In The Ground,” particularly with its curious lyricism drawing inwards.

Considering the themes of detachment set up in the first two tracks, “Lay Your Head Here In Mine” made me consider that Parton’s lyrics might be reflecting even more inwards, as the title itself seems like the singer is speaking to a version of himself. This track in particular stands out to me because it is completely devoid of Duster-style guitar distortion, a whispered track that feels like a lullaby of self-connection. While this song almost reads as a love song, drawing out a quiet melody that feels entirely sacred, it still provides a sense of haunting with lyrics like “Slashing coldness returns / Eerie following.”

The last track, “Incantation,” returns to the guitar and vocal distortion that was highlighted in the first two tracks and also ends up possessing some of the most hard-hitting lyrics, like “Come back in through the window again / Lead me astray, incantation.” This track in particular feels the most emotionally charged, with the heaviest distortion in “Endless Body,” which serves as an emotional catharsis that left me satisfied as a listener.

While I am entirely biased to the beauty of Eiafuawn’s music by being a seasoned fan, I cannot understate the unique characteristics that Parton’s music embodies. “Endless Body” takes you on a mission of self-discovery yet compels you to sit in its beauty as a whole. I’ve found myself deeply impressed by Parton’s ability to provide a blend of gentle lyrics with distorted guitar and complex thoughts, and this EP is no exception. I think fully appreciating Eiafuawn would mean checking out his full album “Birds In The Ground” as well. All in all, I am absolutely enamored by “Endless Body,” and all I can hope is that we see a continuation of Eiafuawn releases.