AM/FM - Mutilate Us
by Geraint Jones
published: 17 / 12 / 2001
Label:
Cooking Vinyl
Format: CD
intro
Principally a duo, Philadelphia based AM/FM comprise Brian Sokel and long time friend, Michael Parsell. Sokel writes the majority of the material, handles the lead vocals and plays the bulk of the ins
Principally a duo, Philadelphia based AM/FM comprise Brian Sokel and long time friend, Michael Parsell. Sokel writes the majority of the material, handles the lead vocals and plays the bulk of the instrumentation whilst Parsell handles the drums and percussion and contributes occasional piano and guitar. In an effort to depart from the conventional method of recording, whereby the material is written and arranged before being recorded, AM/FM decided to attempt to induce some spontaneity into the proceedings by entering the studio with only sketches of the songs they planned to record. Augmented by an array of guests from other Philadelphia bands, AM/FM’s debut, ‘Mutilate Us’ is as unexpectedly enjoyable as it is difficult to categorise. Neither conventional nor revolutionarily different ‘Mutilate Us’ is undoubtedly a consistently entertaining listen throughout. Accessible and melodic, the world of contemporary off-kilter lo-fi pop may be a densely populated one, but AM/FM’s debut justifiably stands out in the crowd. Apart from their own refreshing ingenuity of which the recent single' A Best Man (Put My Girlfriend On Fire)' is a prime example they’re also capable of inventive interpretation as displayed on their take of the Beach Boys 'Disney Girls (1957)', which replaces the laid back warmth of the original arrangement with fragile acoustic introspection. Their skewed lyrics of love and failed relationships, embellished with subtly intricate instrumentation and quietly lush vocal arrangements prove to be a winning formula and whichever wavelength you’re normally on AM/FM are definitely worth tuning into.
Track Listing:-
1 Mutilate Us2 Secretly Odds in Knowing Normal Worlds
3 A Best Man (Put My Girlfriend on Fire)
4 You and Me at 53
5 Those Long Arms
6 Yours Recklessly
7 Leanne, Seasons Persist
8 When I Died in Sebastopol
9 Time Flows Much More Slowly This Way
10 When Larry and Gary Get Married
11 Disney Girls (1957)
12 Success Rides a Shiny White Line
13 Mutilate Us
14 [Untitled]
Label Links:-
http://cookingvinyl.com/https://twitter.com/cookingvinyl
https://www.youtube.com/user/cookingvinylrecords
https://instagram.com/cookingvinyl/
https://www.facebook.com/cookingvinylrecords
most viewed articles
current edition
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Sala Apolo, Barcelona, 29/11/2023 and La Paqui, Madrid, 30/11/2023Anthony Phillips - Interview
Difford and Tilbrook - Difford and Tilbrook
Rain Parade - Interview
Oldfield Youth Club - Interview
Autumn 1904 - Interview
Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview
Cafe No. 9, Sheffield and Grass Roots Venues - Comment
Pete Berwick - ‘Too Wild to Tame’: The story of the Boyzz:
Chris Hludzik - Vinyl Stories
most viewed reviews
current edition
Marika Hackman - Big SighSerious Sam Barrett - A Drop of the Morning Dew
Rod Stewart and Jools Holland - Swing Fever
Ian M Bailey - We Live in Strange Times
Loves - True Love: The Most of The Loves
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
Autumn 1904 - Tales of Innocence
Roberta Flack - Lost Takes
Banter - Heroes
Posey Hill - No Clear Place to Fall
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart