During my sophomore year in Western Australia, I depended on Eirik and Erlend’s music to quell the sickness of boredom and misery. It didn’t help that Perth was mostly oh-so-slow moving and dreary. And I remembered when I listened to the songs with my eyes closed, I can almost imagine them playing in the same room I was in. ‘Quiet is the new Loud’ became my staple make-me-feel-happy-when-I’m sad music. I had hoped to see them perform live in a intimate setting like a pub or a recital hall.
I eventually got my wish – 5 years later at the Esplanade. Those guys at Mosaic did one-better. They got the Kings to play at a concert hall instead; in front of a full house of 1,600.
3 years on (thankfully we had Erlend help fill the gap with his solo electronic dance album and side project, Whitest Boy Alive), they are back with their 3rd studio album, Declaration of Dependence, to be released on the 2nd October by EMI.
IMHO, there is nothing groundbreaking about D.O.D., but it is just comforting to know that are 13 more new aural pleasures for us to ponder our lives with, to sit through rainy sundays with or to end a heavy Partying night with. One song struck me particularly though: Track number 13,’ Riot on an Empty Street’. It was a previously recorded song from their ‘Magic in the Air’, limited 3-track Ep.
“why, why so quiet oh my mysterious country singer she asked my life (love), it’s a riot I am climbing barricades in empty streets at night when I’m down fighting shadows twenty-five postcards in a box in my room telephone conversations gas slowly leaking out of a heart shaped balloon it’s a dangerous game that I’m not sure if I could keep playing for long it’s a dangerous game, it’s a very fine line and if one step is wrong I have no cards to play and that’s why I’ve got nothing to say tonight”The song is probably describing a situation where the boy knows that his relationship with his girlfriend is coming to an end because of the distance between them. Something we all can relate to, at least at some point in our lives.
It’s been awhile since we at poptart gave our listening recommendation (besides our monthly top ten tunes) and for today’s, we have Fanfarlo. Based out of London, this 6-piece indie-folk band brings to our ipods and ipod touches 13 whole new refreshing, easy-listening, feet-tapping aural pleasures. Using mostly acoustic guitars and besides the sounds of mandolins, glocks, accordions and saxophones, the band also uses other everyday household items such as keys and saws!
Dubbed as Britain’s Arcade Fire, ‘Reservoir’ instantly packs that familiar punch, for anyone that remembers the impact ‘Funeral’ had upon its release. Produced by Peter Katis (The National and Interpol), Fanfarlo sold a digital-only version of its album for $1, in order to, I quote,
“Hello. Because we want everyone to hear our album, and in the spirit of “why not”, we are now letting you download it, along with 4 exclusive bonus tracks, for a mere one dollar until July 4th (or, if you like, Independence Day.) After that, the madness will end and you will be able to get the CD, the vinyl and a beautiful new special edition at normal prices.”
We at poptart hereby apologise for not informing you of this earlier.
Sounding like a mish-mash of Decemberists and Arcade Fire, coupled with Alec Ounsworth-ish (Clap your hands say yeah) sounding lead vocals, every song on this album sounds so complete, lavishly arranged and epic. But if I had to choose 3 songs as favourites, they would be, ‘Finish Line’, ‘Harold T. Wilkins Or How To Wait For A Very Long Time’ and “Ghosts”.
A little trivia for you: See the 2 girls on their album cover? One of them is the younger sister of Jón Þór Birgisson (Sigur Ros).
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