This is already a better year for new music and it is only February! What I believe will be two of the best records of the year came out yesterday. That's right, we have been blessed with two that will be hard to be beat. They are both better than anything I heard all of last year.
I'll start with the best because it's so good I can't wait to let everyone know about it. The album is called Some Nights and it is from the band called fun. That's fun. with a distinct period after it. Their debut Aim and Ignite had some hook filled power pop, including the fantastic "All The Pretty Girls." The new album was a long time coming, with a reissue of their debut and a live EP in between, not to mention a couple of top notch singles on iTunes. Some Nights was well worth the wait and it is an album that puts the band on a whole new level. It is a creative masterpiece that is so original I find it hard to draw a comparison to any other modern band. There are influences for sure, from Queen and Wings to a bit of a bit of a UK power pop vibe. It sounds a bit like The Feeling if they wrote much better songs and were more experimental. A Cappella layered haromies over piano and vintage synths with melodies that will bob and weave through your ears and into your heart and mind, leaving you stunned and wanting more. The title track (after the intro) is brilliant and you will want to give it repeated listens. Musically it's fun and hooky with great production, but lyrically it is extremely deep and often introspective, "Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for." These guys know what they are doing and their art of song craft is evident on every track. I got the vinyl, and the packaging and lyric sheet are fantastic. Even though the album wasn't stickered this way, it includes the full CD as well. I have loved this band for a few years now, but with this record I think the secret is out of the bag. This is a true artistic statement and one you do not want to miss. Find out more here: http://ournameisfun.com/
Todays reviews are sponsored by the letter "F". From Fun. to Field Music. This is a band that has defied classification, and they have showed moments of sheer brilliance and beauty on their last 3 records. Little did we know that they were just experimenting and making their way to artistic glory. Plumb is without a doubt their best work. It has a heavy 70's pop and rock influence but yet they maintain somewhat modern alt vibe. I have never heard a band take elements of 10cc, Yes, Paul McCartney and The Beatles and combine them into pop tunes. Imagine Godley and Creme doing a combination of Yes' Fragile and The Beatles Sgt. Peppers, with a young Paul McCartney singing some of the tracks.Those tracks are here. There is also some fun psychic mayhem that creaps in that I can't quite place. Maybe some of you out there can help with it, check out track number 4 and tell me who you think the influences are...I can't figure it out, but it has a cool sound. Check it out: http://www.field-music.co.uk/
Oh my god, that fun. stuff is incredible. I would never have found that without you. I can't remember the last time I heard a record and though "I am getting this!" within the first few seconds of a song.
Posted by: Jonny Scaramanga | February 23, 2012 at 07:18 AM