Fanfarlo - Let's Go Extinct

  by Dave Goodwin

published: 27 / 2 / 2014

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There is a lot of great music around at the moment, and ‘Let’s Go Extinct’ is no exception. Fanfarlo's third full length offering is an hour’s worth of good wholesome pop. From start to finish this one takes your feet, and doesn't leave them alone until the title track end number. Formed in 2006, the band, whose name comes from the Charles Baudelaire novella ‘La Fanfarlo’, started performing in small London indie clubs in 2006, releasing a string of singles before recording their debut album, ‘Reservoir’, in Connecticut. It was produced by Peter Katis (The National, Interpol), and released in February 2009. In early February 2012 they released their second album, ‘Rooms Filled with Light’ followed by ‘The Sea EP’, which presents a discussion about where humanity has come from, what we have become and where we are heading. At this point the band described their sound as "Space Opera meets Spaghetti Western". The man at the helm of this outfit is Swedish musician Simon Balthazar. Combining elements of folk, indie rock and post-punk and using an array of instruments including trumpets, violins, mandolins, musical saw, clarinets and saxophone, they have conjured up quite a sound. The rest of the band, Cathy Lucas on violin and keyboards, Leon Beckenham on trumpet and keyboards, Justin Finch on bass and Valentina Magaletti on drums, are not just bit part players. Each has brought their own sound to produce a band that is deep-rooted in the 1980s but also sounds very contemporary. They take their influence from various sources including Science Fiction, 70's movies, Neuroscience and Chemistry and artists like Todd Rundgren, John Maus, King Crimson, Ennio Morricone, Fleetwood Mac, Suicide, ELO, Steve Reich, Sparks, Talking Heads, Philip Glass, Dexys and David Bowie. You can see the Talking Heads influence in here above all, but to me it also screams Lloyd Cole at you. From the first track to the last it is pure pop indulgence. This album is a return in a way to the first album. They drifted for a while with the second album which was more experimental but have come up trumps with this one. It was mostly recorded in Bryn Derwen, North Wales, and mixed in an old Welsh derelict house sometime afterwards. Taking in visions of post apocalyptic London and stories of love and loss, this is an eccentric outing, but at the same time makes a lot of sense too. 'Life in the Sky' and ‘A Distance’ are highlights with a synth vibe shining through, but the standout for me comes half way in. ‘Landlocked’ is a belter. Its three minutes and forty six seconds of warming lovability. There's a great video for it on the band’s website too. This is your Friday night get ready soundtrack, or your Saturday night entertaining. It is your must listen while stomping around town with your iPod and earphones on. Even if it is a little eccentric in places.

Track Listing:-

1 Life In the Sky
2 Cell Song
3 Myth of Myself (A Ruse To Exploit Ou
4 A Distance
5 We're the Future
6 Landlocked
7 Painting With Life
8 The Grey and Gold
9 The Beginning and the End
10 Let's Go Extinct
11 White Mice
12 A Distance (Tom Furse Extrapolation)

Band Links:-

https://twitter.com/fanfarlomusic
https://www.facebook.com/fanfarlo
http://fanfarlo.com/
https://instagram.com/fanfarlomusic/

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