Photo by: quims.org
Summer just can’t seem to come early enough this year.
Anticipating the hot weather, Friendly Fires is set to release an unapologetic, vibrant set of songs on their highly-anticipated second album, Pala.
Everything about Pala, from the album cover (a close-up of the plumage of an exotic bird), to the title (a reference to the fictional island backdrop of Aldous Huxley’s 1962 utopian novel), to even some of the song titles (“Hawaiian Air”), is pure summer. Layered percussion, soaring vocals and occasional samples of bird calls and wave sounds give the album a distinct and immediate island flair that Friendly Fires’ contemporaries (Cut Copy, for one) can’t even begin to touch.
That said, Pala is not just some clichéd beach soundtrack that puts mood over music (Tennis’ debut album, anyone?). Instead, underneath Pala’s colorful art direction is a core set of truly fantastic, modern pop songs. The choruses are big, the instrumentation is tight, and the production, expertly done by engineering virtuoso Paul Epworth, is razor sharp.
The lead single “Live Those Days Tonight” is an aggressively-paced, off-kilter percussion track and synth-heavy instrumental melody that lays the foundation for lead singer Ed McFarlane’s romantic, energetic vocal delivery.
Such is the formula utilized on most of Pala. At times, the album feels very much like a mixtape with cohesiveness, a quality of the utmost importance.
In fact, the pace only ever really changes on the title song “Pala,” where the album slows down considerably, but keeps the energy up with a sultriness that makes Marvin Gaye sound like a Roman castrato.
This is not to say the album sounds homogeneous, though some might accuse it of such. Rather, there are just enough sharp turns and clever sonic tricks to keep the superficial listener interested throughout the album’s entirety.
The hand bells on “Running Away,” the 70s funk sensibilities of “Hurting,” the dance-punk vibe of “True Love,” the guitar-picking of “Pull Me Back to Earth” – all of these help Pala consistently surprise the listener while also continuing to sound exceedingly cohesive.
The vocals and lyrics also contribute to this mixture of solidity and surprise. McFarlane has a dynamic range and a wide variety of vocal hooks, but lyrically never strays too far from themes of love, heartbreak and escapism. By the end of it, though, you won’t feel such topics have been beaten to death, but rather, you’ll be genuinely convinced that you are in love and that you have been whisked away to some distant island.
It takes a special kind of band to turn a stroll down South High Street into a Puerto Rican honeymoon – and Friendly Fires deserves recognition for accomplishing such a feat.
With Pala, Friendly Fires wants to take you on an exotic vacation, to distant islands with white sand beaches, to starry nights and palm trees, to piña coladas and new romances.
For $10, it’s a good deal – cheaper than a plane ticket to Tahiti. And knowing United Airlines, Friendly Fires’ travel agency is a probably a hell of a lot more reliable.
