Does anyone know what a Fanfarlo is? Is it an actual word or perhaps a foreign term unfamiliar to us American philistines?
Fanfarlo happens to be a group of six talented London-based musicians, whose lead singer is a native of Sweden. If Sweden isn't already on your musical radar, do take heed: The Nordic country is home to a smörgåsbord of quality artists, most notably Jens Lekman, Lykke Li, Radio Dept. and The Sounds. In the past six months, while showcasing its talents at two of the biggest indie rock gatherings (SXSW and CMJ) and touring in support of its debut album Reservoir, Fanfarlo captivated audiences, earning encore after encore. Sadly, the group's current US tour schedule doesn't include any Ohio dates.
However, in no way should this slight oversight deter you from checking out Fanfarlo – I've had their music on heavy rotation for months. The music is energetic and infectious, and it leaves a lasting impression.
It's clear that a band is confident when it successfully reinvents an existing song. Fanfarlo has created some superb covers of tunes by The Smashing Pumpkins, Bonnie Prince Billie and Neutral Milk Hotel. If that isn't enough to entice, this ensemble has a photo of Sigurrós, the younger sister of Jón Þór Birgisson, the lead singer of Sigur Rós, on the cover of its album. Need more indie cred? Reservoir was produced by Peter Katis, whose previous credits include Interpol, Tokyo Police Club, The National and Frightened Rabbit, among others.
Fanfarlo's sound is best described as reminiscent of Arcade Fire yet less bombastic, turning the similarly composed arrangements down a few notches to create more soothing melodies. Fanfarlo takes the very best of Talking Heads, Bell X1 and Beirut, and wraps it all in its own developed sound. True, it is risky comparing a young band to more established acts, leaving potential fans vulnerable to disappointment, but Reservoir shows plenty of promise with beautiful songs, such as "Finish Line", "Ghosts", and "I'm a Pilot". The band capably borrows from a gamut of pop music styles, from folk to chamber to twee-pop to indie rock to shoegaze. Tackling these genres with impressively eclectic instrumentation – clarinet, saw, mandolin, violin, trumpet, glockenspiel and melodica – gives each style new depth and character, and an intriguing though entirely accessible record. Bottom line: Fanfarlo's music is catchy as hell.
Be sure to pick up a copy of Reservoir at Music Saves! For an added holiday bonus, the group has created a "Fanfarlo Advent Calendar" on its website, where the band will be offering up some form of a gift (mp3s, contest giveaways, exclusive tour footage, etc.) every day until Christmas Eve.
Author:
On December 15th, 2009 @ 02:16:pm,
These dudes have been getting play on Sirius XMU, and the sound to me is a little closer to Beirut, probably because there's horns and the singer's a crooner.