Fanfarlo and Times New Viking.
Originally published in The Washington Square News
Album review: "Reservoir" by Fanfarlo
by Amanda Holpuch
Published October 13, 2009
"Reservoir" Fanfarlo 3 stars
Employing the same anthemic instrumentation that made Arcade Fire and Beirut famous, Fanfarlo's debut album, "Reservoir," is a full-fledged orchestral imitation, down to the last glockenspiel. But the band never gets it quite right.
The stomping drums and clanging bells in album opener "I'm a Pilot" create an engaging sound, but it shares the same fate as the other bits of brilliance sprinkled throughout the album. It's quickly eclipsed by a standard adult-contemporary pop piano progression that can be found in any Editors song.
Teeming with violins and trumpets, the poetic "The Walls Are Coming Down" hints at creative redemption. String instruments build up a light and happy melody, while the dark lyrics bring the song back down to earth: "The walls the walls are coming down/The here and now is coming round/It will some day let you down." Still, the lack of emotion in frontman Simon Balthazar's vocals prevents the track from achieving greatness.
"Comets" translates the album's pretentious instrumentation into a weird, twangy blend of country and psychedelia. Midway through the track, a campfire guitar strum is accompanied by alien-like synthesizers. And though the two elements do not perfectly mesh, the unexpected blend creates excitement in an otherwise mundane album.
It's songs like "Luna" that make one wonder if the band's ultimate goal is to be on the next "Grey's Anatomy" soundtrack. Hidden bits of delight reemerge with the creative use of a saw and lone trumpet calls. Unfortunately, an overabundance of frenetic clapping and pop-techno enhancements force this song into the category of attempted indie-mainstream crossover.
The instrumental parts in "Reservoir" are well executed, and the vocals are delivered with precision (if not passion), but it's all been done before — and a whole lot better at that.
Album review: "Reservoir" by Fanfarlo
by Amanda Holpuch
Published October 13, 2009
"Reservoir" Fanfarlo 3 stars
Employing the same anthemic instrumentation that made Arcade Fire and Beirut famous, Fanfarlo's debut album, "Reservoir," is a full-fledged orchestral imitation, down to the last glockenspiel. But the band never gets it quite right.
The stomping drums and clanging bells in album opener "I'm a Pilot" create an engaging sound, but it shares the same fate as the other bits of brilliance sprinkled throughout the album. It's quickly eclipsed by a standard adult-contemporary pop piano progression that can be found in any Editors song.
Teeming with violins and trumpets, the poetic "The Walls Are Coming Down" hints at creative redemption. String instruments build up a light and happy melody, while the dark lyrics bring the song back down to earth: "The walls the walls are coming down/The here and now is coming round/It will some day let you down." Still, the lack of emotion in frontman Simon Balthazar's vocals prevents the track from achieving greatness.
"Comets" translates the album's pretentious instrumentation into a weird, twangy blend of country and psychedelia. Midway through the track, a campfire guitar strum is accompanied by alien-like synthesizers. And though the two elements do not perfectly mesh, the unexpected blend creates excitement in an otherwise mundane album.
It's songs like "Luna" that make one wonder if the band's ultimate goal is to be on the next "Grey's Anatomy" soundtrack. Hidden bits of delight reemerge with the creative use of a saw and lone trumpet calls. Unfortunately, an overabundance of frenetic clapping and pop-techno enhancements force this song into the category of attempted indie-mainstream crossover.
The instrumental parts in "Reservoir" are well executed, and the vocals are delivered with precision (if not passion), but it's all been done before — and a whole lot better at that.
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4 stars
More accessible than 2008's "Rip It Off," "Born Again Revisited" maintains the heavy distortion, tasty feedback and short pace for which Times New Viking has earned a reputation, but focuses more on rhythm and instrumentals than the band's previous work.
"Move to California" fulfills its duty as a single, providing an entrance for current non-fans. It retains the post-punk experimentations associated with TNV but without the intimidation factor. Opening with a deceptively feedback-free guitar strum, the track accommodates the wary listener as it continues to evolve, eliciting the warmth and happiness of the West Coast. For fans, this surprising quality hints at a different version of the lo-fi TNV they know and love.
The band's answer to the always-welcome breakup tune is "Half Day in Hell." Phrases such as "we will stay forever for a week" skip the sap and offer listeners — heartbroken or not — the angry solace they need. The consistent drumbeat evokes the sound of a drum line, and the vocals seem to be delivered through a PA system, conjuring images of your first big breakup in high school.
The title track is the album's peak. Singer and keyboardist Beth Murphy's raucous chants — "No it's not about you/It's about what you do/I hope you pull through" — are immediately engaging. Along with the pulsating guitar and suggestions of train whistles, the song offers a much-needed straightforward head-bopper.
Though it's a great 37-second high-pitched chant, album ender "Take The Piss" is also a forceful reminder of what "Born Again Revisited" lacks: high-energy angst. It's delivered in short spurts, releasing a sound — and a feeling — that is restrained on the album's other tracks. It is a tease that often leaves fans wanting more, even though the band has certainly met their crunchy, lo-fi expectations.
More accessible than 2008's "Rip It Off," "Born Again Revisited" maintains the heavy distortion, tasty feedback and short pace for which Times New Viking has earned a reputation, but focuses more on rhythm and instrumentals than the band's previous work.
"Move to California" fulfills its duty as a single, providing an entrance for current non-fans. It retains the post-punk experimentations associated with TNV but without the intimidation factor. Opening with a deceptively feedback-free guitar strum, the track accommodates the wary listener as it continues to evolve, eliciting the warmth and happiness of the West Coast. For fans, this surprising quality hints at a different version of the lo-fi TNV they know and love.
The band's answer to the always-welcome breakup tune is "Half Day in Hell." Phrases such as "we will stay forever for a week" skip the sap and offer listeners — heartbroken or not — the angry solace they need. The consistent drumbeat evokes the sound of a drum line, and the vocals seem to be delivered through a PA system, conjuring images of your first big breakup in high school.
The title track is the album's peak. Singer and keyboardist Beth Murphy's raucous chants — "No it's not about you/It's about what you do/I hope you pull through" — are immediately engaging. Along with the pulsating guitar and suggestions of train whistles, the song offers a much-needed straightforward head-bopper.
Though it's a great 37-second high-pitched chant, album ender "Take The Piss" is also a forceful reminder of what "Born Again Revisited" lacks: high-energy angst. It's delivered in short spurts, releasing a sound — and a feeling — that is restrained on the album's other tracks. It is a tease that often leaves fans wanting more, even though the band has certainly met their crunchy, lo-fi expectations.
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