General Ratings:
Music: 8
Lyrics: 7
Scope: 7
Consistency: 8
RIYL: The Arcade Fire, Black-Sheep-Boy-era Okkervil River, Beirut
Further Listening: Mixed Cases, Ra Ra Riot, Ohbijou
Place of Origin: London, UK
Instrument/Sounds List: Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Drums, Keyboard/Synthesizer, Piano, Trumpet, Strings, Accordion, Glockenspiel, Mandolin, Alternative Percussion (hand claps, foot stomps, junk bag, shaker), Multi-Tracked Vocals, Singing Saw, Clarinet, Banjo, Melodica, Whistling, Tape/Pedal Manipulation.
Mood Tones:
Season: Fall
Weather: Windy
Time of Day: Dusk
Song Highlights: The Walls Are Coming Down, I'm a Pilot, Luna
Favorite Lyrics:
"You had the driver sign your arm/
My hospitals will welcome you home/
Like a truth, with Godmothers aching/
To look at your grace and believe what you say/
But kid, I'm a pilot: it's all I believe in/
It's all I believe in, you can ride on my back." (from "I'm a Pilot")
"Cry murder, cry what you like,/
Just like the comet, lead the way/
We'll tear it down, we'll hold the truth/
By the neck, by the neck/
Kick in the doors and burn the books/
Try to forget, try to forget." (from "Comets")
"Atoms have gone as/
Far as atoms will go/
Your books write themselves, they/
Line up in row after row." (from "The Walls Are Coming Down")
Other Thoughts:
Fanfarlo may just be the best new band you've never heard of. Now a quintet, following the departure of their guitar player, they're a London-based band formed around Simon Balthazar, who originally hails from Gothenburg, Sweden. They've quietly released a smattering of singles, mostly on local indie labels (including the upcoming "Drowning Men," out soon on Moshi Moshi, which itself is proving to be a label to watch out for), but make their great leap forward with Reservoir, one of the best albums I've heard in a good long while. True, it may only be March, but if another record comes along this year that's both as instantly enjoyable and sustainable as this, 2009 will be a gifted year indeed. I can't stress strongly enough how much you really need to hear this record.
Why? The first thing you notice, probably the first thing you notice about any good record, is the strength of the leads, most of which are almost immediately remarkable. Mr. Balthazar is graced not only with a keen ear for melodies, but also a strong tenor with which to annunciate them, his voice falling somewhere between Zach Condon and David Byrne (at his more subdued moments). Next you hear how thoroughly orchestrated the album is, how tightly violins and trumpets and synthesizers (along with a host of other instruments, see the list for more details) fit together over the basic trinity of guitar, bass and drums. Speaking of the bass and drums, it wasn't until the fourth or fifth listen that I realized how solid the rhythm section is: the word anthemic gets tossed around a lot these days, but is apt for a majority of the cuts here, and is a testament mostly to driving beats and acrobatic basslines that Amos Memon and Justin Finch concoct, which serve as the backbone that supports all of the band's loftier impulses. Delving deeper into Reservoir, it reveals a level of nuance that is truly rare from a self-financed, freshman effort. Note the way the backing vocals are layered on top of each other on "Ghosts" (a song about a town whose living population has mostly fled the meteorological impingements of their ethereal counterparts); they sound, well, ghostlike. Note the whistling coda on "Fire Escape" that puts the final spin on the nocturnal swirl begun by the keyboards. All of the choices feel considered and add synergistically in a full and vibrant rendering.
Am I gushing? On more recent listens, I've been struck by how consistent the material is. It's perhaps no surprise that this is one of the most balanced records I've reviewed (a fact reflected in the ratings). What is a surprise is that there aren't any tracks that I skip, something I can't even say for some of my favorite records. I mean not to imply that some tracks aren't better than others, but rather that there are no place holders, no filler; every song has some line or part that jumps out and grabs your attention, even the instrumental closer. Also, as I've mentioned before, I think it's truly difficult for a record to have both a strong consistency of tone and good breadth of appeal. Here is that album.
Also, what kind of ridiculous hot streak is Peter Katis on? Better known to the music world as the knob-twirler behind Tarquin studios (the Bridgeport, CT recording hole that gave us Interpol's Turn On the Bright Lights, The National's Alligator and Boxer, Frightened Rabbit's Midnight Organ Fight and The Twilight Sad's 14 Autumns & 15 Winters), Katis makes good on the idea that, when done properly, production can add as much to a song as a lead instrument. To fully appreciate his contribution to this album, track down some of the band's early singles and compare them to the cuts on Reservoir. Certainly it's the same band, same breathy vocals, same kitchen sink instrumentation, same vivaciousness, but even the best of them are missing the polish and grace that each of the tracks on Reservoir is wrapped in. When you first hear "The Walls Are Coming Down" you're tempted to think they're talking about the Wall of Sound, the big tsunami of beautiful music that's spilling out of your speakers. But put on your headphones, pay a little more attention and don't be surprised to hear all of the pieces slip apart independently from each other; lead vocal - backing vocals - acoustic guitar - mandolin (or possibly ukulele?) - bass - drums - trumpet - violin - glockenspiel, sometimes up to nine or ten distinct parts at once. Try this same thing with the earlier songs and you'll drive yourself mad; the leads are distinct, but the rest of the parts pack together in polymorphic analogue.
As of this review, Reservoir is only available through the band's website, as for some crazy reason, no label has picked this up yet (or perhaps because, as Ben is likely to suggest, they're pulling a Clap-Your-Hands-Say-Yeah maneuver). Either way, take my word that tracking it down is well worth whatever time and money it takes.
The Downside:
The only real beef I have with this record is that occasionally its influences border on source material. The best example of this is "Drowning Men," whose piano/bass combo is instantly reminiscent of the Arcade Fire song "Rebellion (Lies)." But even this is forgivable, given the fact that this is their first album. Here's to hoping there are many more where this came from.
Music: 8
Lyrics: 7
Scope: 7
Consistency: 8
RIYL: The Arcade Fire, Black-Sheep-Boy-era Okkervil River, Beirut
Further Listening: Mixed Cases, Ra Ra Riot, Ohbijou
Place of Origin: London, UK
Instrument/Sounds List: Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Drums, Keyboard/Synthesizer, Piano, Trumpet, Strings, Accordion, Glockenspiel, Mandolin, Alternative Percussion (hand claps, foot stomps, junk bag, shaker), Multi-Tracked Vocals, Singing Saw, Clarinet, Banjo, Melodica, Whistling, Tape/Pedal Manipulation.
Mood Tones:
Season: Fall
Weather: Windy
Time of Day: Dusk
Song Highlights: The Walls Are Coming Down, I'm a Pilot, Luna
Favorite Lyrics:
"You had the driver sign your arm/
My hospitals will welcome you home/
Like a truth, with Godmothers aching/
To look at your grace and believe what you say/
But kid, I'm a pilot: it's all I believe in/
It's all I believe in, you can ride on my back." (from "I'm a Pilot")
"Cry murder, cry what you like,/
Just like the comet, lead the way/
We'll tear it down, we'll hold the truth/
By the neck, by the neck/
Kick in the doors and burn the books/
Try to forget, try to forget." (from "Comets")
"Atoms have gone as/
Far as atoms will go/
Your books write themselves, they/
Line up in row after row." (from "The Walls Are Coming Down")
Other Thoughts:
Fanfarlo may just be the best new band you've never heard of. Now a quintet, following the departure of their guitar player, they're a London-based band formed around Simon Balthazar, who originally hails from Gothenburg, Sweden. They've quietly released a smattering of singles, mostly on local indie labels (including the upcoming "Drowning Men," out soon on Moshi Moshi, which itself is proving to be a label to watch out for), but make their great leap forward with Reservoir, one of the best albums I've heard in a good long while. True, it may only be March, but if another record comes along this year that's both as instantly enjoyable and sustainable as this, 2009 will be a gifted year indeed. I can't stress strongly enough how much you really need to hear this record.
Why? The first thing you notice, probably the first thing you notice about any good record, is the strength of the leads, most of which are almost immediately remarkable. Mr. Balthazar is graced not only with a keen ear for melodies, but also a strong tenor with which to annunciate them, his voice falling somewhere between Zach Condon and David Byrne (at his more subdued moments). Next you hear how thoroughly orchestrated the album is, how tightly violins and trumpets and synthesizers (along with a host of other instruments, see the list for more details) fit together over the basic trinity of guitar, bass and drums. Speaking of the bass and drums, it wasn't until the fourth or fifth listen that I realized how solid the rhythm section is: the word anthemic gets tossed around a lot these days, but is apt for a majority of the cuts here, and is a testament mostly to driving beats and acrobatic basslines that Amos Memon and Justin Finch concoct, which serve as the backbone that supports all of the band's loftier impulses. Delving deeper into Reservoir, it reveals a level of nuance that is truly rare from a self-financed, freshman effort. Note the way the backing vocals are layered on top of each other on "Ghosts" (a song about a town whose living population has mostly fled the meteorological impingements of their ethereal counterparts); they sound, well, ghostlike. Note the whistling coda on "Fire Escape" that puts the final spin on the nocturnal swirl begun by the keyboards. All of the choices feel considered and add synergistically in a full and vibrant rendering.
Am I gushing? On more recent listens, I've been struck by how consistent the material is. It's perhaps no surprise that this is one of the most balanced records I've reviewed (a fact reflected in the ratings). What is a surprise is that there aren't any tracks that I skip, something I can't even say for some of my favorite records. I mean not to imply that some tracks aren't better than others, but rather that there are no place holders, no filler; every song has some line or part that jumps out and grabs your attention, even the instrumental closer. Also, as I've mentioned before, I think it's truly difficult for a record to have both a strong consistency of tone and good breadth of appeal. Here is that album.
Also, what kind of ridiculous hot streak is Peter Katis on? Better known to the music world as the knob-twirler behind Tarquin studios (the Bridgeport, CT recording hole that gave us Interpol's Turn On the Bright Lights, The National's Alligator and Boxer, Frightened Rabbit's Midnight Organ Fight and The Twilight Sad's 14 Autumns & 15 Winters), Katis makes good on the idea that, when done properly, production can add as much to a song as a lead instrument. To fully appreciate his contribution to this album, track down some of the band's early singles and compare them to the cuts on Reservoir. Certainly it's the same band, same breathy vocals, same kitchen sink instrumentation, same vivaciousness, but even the best of them are missing the polish and grace that each of the tracks on Reservoir is wrapped in. When you first hear "The Walls Are Coming Down" you're tempted to think they're talking about the Wall of Sound, the big tsunami of beautiful music that's spilling out of your speakers. But put on your headphones, pay a little more attention and don't be surprised to hear all of the pieces slip apart independently from each other; lead vocal - backing vocals - acoustic guitar - mandolin (or possibly ukulele?) - bass - drums - trumpet - violin - glockenspiel, sometimes up to nine or ten distinct parts at once. Try this same thing with the earlier songs and you'll drive yourself mad; the leads are distinct, but the rest of the parts pack together in polymorphic analogue.
As of this review, Reservoir is only available through the band's website, as for some crazy reason, no label has picked this up yet (or perhaps because, as Ben is likely to suggest, they're pulling a Clap-Your-Hands-Say-Yeah maneuver). Either way, take my word that tracking it down is well worth whatever time and money it takes.
The Downside:
The only real beef I have with this record is that occasionally its influences border on source material. The best example of this is "Drowning Men," whose piano/bass combo is instantly reminiscent of the Arcade Fire song "Rebellion (Lies)." But even this is forgivable, given the fact that this is their first album. Here's to hoping there are many more where this came from.
4 comments:
If you typed out a transcript of the lyrics, I'd be interested in seeing it. I have no idea what he's saying most of the time.
Fanfarlo is the best band I've heard in the last years. But I agree with Ben. I'm in love with their music, but the lyrics are very hard to understand. Maybe because it's not my mother language... And I can't find the lyrics anywhere... Why?
The lyrics I quoted are just my best guesses. I was originally planning on transposing the whole thing, given that no one else seems to have done so, but I had enough holes even after the first song that it seemed pointless. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, G.
they put some on their site! finally!! http://fanfarlo.com/lyrics
Post a Comment