Ball of Wax 41 Songs: Levi Fuller & the Library – You Could Have Died

Ball of Wax grand poobah Levi Fuller (along with his Library) was surprisingly absent from Volume 39 (the last “regular” release of the quarterly), though he returns with a fuzzy rumble on Volume 41. “You Could Have Died” opens with a burst of feedback before crashing and stomping into the first verse. The band mostly drops out, leaving some guitar and kitchen sink percussion to prop up Levi’s reverb-slathered vocals. It’s an angry, almost punk-rock vocal, which only ramps up as the band gets louder and more agitated as the song progresses. As with the recent The Wonders That There Are, Levi’s musings and assertions are given a satisfying sonic weight by the decidedly unquiet Library. By the final verse, the band is in full galloping doom mode before opening up into an extended, mildly spazzy chorus to end the song. This is more compellingly rough stuff from Levi Fuller and the Library and a fine song to add to their repertoire.