Fanfarlo

TheOwlMag on Fanfarlo

Fanfarlo Reservoir [Atlantic]

London’s Fanfarlo has no trouble crafting catchy indie pop on its debut, Reservoir, but the thing that makes it memorable is not the particular uniqueness of the song structures, but all the fun instruments that are crammed in. With the whimsicality of a child throwing open its toy box, the group brings to mind a merry, frolicking gang of old-timey musicians as their random folk sounds seem both silly and right where they belong. Trumpet, drums, bass, and sometimes guitar drive the tunes, while the bonuses come in many forms: violin, piano, glockenspiel, melodica, mandolin, musical saw, clarinet, etc. They know what they’re doing and succeed at rendering tight tracks; in fact, they sound a lot like the Arcade Fire, in the melodic hooks, the thundering highs and the whispering lows, and their tendency to build steadily to anthemic climax. Lead singer Simon Balthazar has one of those pretty, dripping voices that, like Zach Condon’s, is ripe with emotion and crush-inducingly smooth. All these elements folded into well-shaped pop makes for some pretty easy-to-swallow tunage.

Opening song “I’m A Pilot” sets a great pace with its driving, comforting piano line and the introduction of Balthazar’s croon, over ominous dragging chains and strings that weep in a way that’s heartbreakingly lovely rather than sad. Lead single “The Walls Are Coming Down” gives the mandolin and trumpet some excellent air time, the former tickling away brightly as the latter either broods in the background or picks up the melody. Many of the songs employ tinkling bells for lullaby moments, and layered harmonies and handclaps for rousing choruses, all as the trick bag of novelty instruments dances in and out. Closer “Good Morning Midnight” is a surprising softie after all that prancing around, with timid acoustic and mandolin plucks shuffling around bells and soft, robotic keyboard hums. It’s a pretty, “thanks for listening” ending to a healthy indie-rock disc.

TheOwlMag on Fanfarlo

Fanfarlo Rooms Filled With Light [Atlantic/Warner]

After delighting fans on 2009’s Reservoir, the boys and girl of Fanfarlo are back to dazzle us once again with their highly anticipated follow up, Rooms Filled With Light.

“Is it dead enough? Is it still enough? Will it replicate? Inside our bodies now,” Simon Balthazar croons on “Replicate,” a fusion of folk-pop and electro charm. “Deconstruction” conjures up memories of fun electro new wave from the ’80s. “Len’s Life” has Balthazar channeling a bit of David Byrne. “Come faceless and cold,” sings Balthazar on the sax and trumpet punctuated “Tunguska.” Fanfarlo captivates your imagination so quickly that before you know it, you’ve devoured all twelve tracks. The proficient blending of folk and electro-pop orchestrations with superb vocal harmonization makes each song feel purposeful and the album beautifully paced.

Rooms Filled With Light is not a complete departure from the band’s previous folky efforts. The addition of electronic instruments incorporated into their repertoire has given more profoundness to Fanfarlo’s sound. The multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist members of the band seem to be on a collective journey of discovery, still in the process of honing their core sound. And they’ve been gracious enough to invite us to indulge into another layer of their talent-filled dip. And once you’ve had a taste, you’ll only want more.

You can check out more of the album on Soundcloud!

PASTE's Best of What's Next on Fanfarlo

Hometown: LondonAlbum: Reservoir Band Members: Simon Balthazar (vocals, multi-instrumentalist), Leon Beckenham (trumpet, keyboards), Justin Finch (bass), Cathy Lucas (violin, keyboard, vocals), Amos Memon (drums)  For Fans Of: Belle and Sebastian, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Coldplay ...   more at pastemagazine.com

MusicForRobots on Fanfarlo

Imagine Rufus Wainwright playing lead and singing for a band that was the secret bastard child of Cake and the Arcade Fire and you're 80% of the way there. Perhaps that seems like a mess, but it works, trust me. more at music.for-robots.com

allmusic on Fanfarlo

Emerging from London, England, in the mid- to late 2000s as an up-and-coming indie pop band, Fanfarlo got their name out with a series of singles, a strong Internet presence, and an engaging live show that took them as far as the South by Southwest festival in Austin, TX. Citing influences such as Broken Social Scene, Pavement, Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, Belle & Sebastian, and Sufjan Stevens, the band is comprised of Simon Balthazer (vocals), Mark West (guitar), Leon Beckenham (trumpet), Cathy Lucas (violin), Justin Finch (bass), and Amos Memon (drums). They released their first single, Talking Backwards, in 2006 on FortunaPop. more at www.allmusic.com

drownedinsound on Fanfarlo

Fanfarlo are pretty close to perfection at the moment. Momentum has flung them all together, coalescing around leader Simon Aurell's rather unique perspectives and gifts for utterly righteous, purely loveable popular music.more at drownedinsound.com