Fanfarlo

You Should Know


You can't get a whole lot for a dollar these days, but from now until July 4th, you can pick up Fanfarlo's new album Reservoir for a measly buck and you'll even get 4 bonus tracks. The band hails from London and creates highly orchestrated indie-pop that sounds a bit like Arcade Fire meets Belle and Sebastian. Lead singer Simon Balthazar's vocals are also vaguely reminiscent of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! singer Alec Ounsworth, but the similarity isn't blatant enough to be a distraction. Lazy comparisons aside, Fanfarlo carves its own niche with a highly-ornamented yet never overly-adorned approach. Balthazar's words are effortless yet weighty. The band's arrangements are immense. Still, Fanfarlo manages to hypnotize despite complexities that could have easily caused the album to crumble. Take, for instance, album opener "I'm A Pilot," with its stomping percussion and hazy piano. The song builds slowly to a bell and string-laden crescendo indicative of things to come. As far as debut albums go, Reservoir is a rarity. It's steeped in grandiosity but displays a focus seldom seen on debut albums. Please visit the band's website and take advantage of this opportunity to buy their album for next to nothing. I'd venture to say this will be one of the best dollars you ever spend. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Fanfarlo - I'm A Pilot
MP3: Fanfarlo - Luna

Tags: Fanfarlo, Reservoir