Citizen Dick Retrospective – Best of 2009 – Fanfarlo
In my review of Reservoir earlier this year, I immediately referenced Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and David Byrne within the first paragraph, either mildly pointing to my lunacy or, perhaps, marking that I was right on the money. We’ve seen imitations and reference points to the sound of The Talking Heads for years, and I’ve never been a fan, with the one rare exception being CYHSY’s self-titled debut in 2004. Not a single album I’ve ever listened to encapsulated an entire season (Summer) for me like that album did. Reservoir quickly becomes my second exception, a huge sonic blast of incredibly high quality and infectious energy. At no point on the album does the band overreach to the point of gimmick, and when the dust settles, there are around six tracks that leave their thumbprint on the hugely successful musical year that’s closing in a few short days.
Fanfarlo was a breath of fresh air in 2009, emblazoning a signature summery vibe into my listening pile. This incredibly mature album brings out all the bells and whistles of intelligent arrangement and packages it in swirling, epic, and lofty tracks that are easily ingrained and take forever to leave your noggin. “I’m a Pilot” is one of the best album openers of the year, as it sets time and pace and signifies the sonic landscape that arcs throughout the entire record. In my review of the album, I alluded to a summer trip, a random stop at a diner in the middle of nowhere where I played “Road to Nowhere” on the jukebox, startling the locals into toe-tapping uncertainty. In much the same way, Reservoir is largely about feeling, it’s primarily upbeat tempo gallops nicely aside meaningful vocal brilliance and sharp musicianship. “Luna” is the track picked up quickly by the media and advertising vultures, but despite the commercial nature of the song, it’s a gorgeous example of the album. Tracks are catchy, pumped full of life, and if listened to in the right situation, this energy is transmitted directly to the listeners without trite rehashing of influences. Early on, I mentioned that this album would hold water on its own despite it’s obvious comparisons.
Tracks like “Ghosts” and “Drowning Men” pronounce the band’s talent, with crushing synthesizer riffs, blitzing percussion, and emotionally piping hot vocals. “Comets” rolls in a warbly singing saw and horn sections. In short, this album has nearly everything a classic indie rock record should. For me, at least, it never grows old, despite repeated spins over the last six months. What a pleasure it was to snag this album early on. From top to bottom, this lush collection of tunes stands at the top and I’d argue that it holds its own against just about any record released this year. Enjoy “I’m A Pilot” and “Luna” below, but to really appreciate it, you’ll have to score it in its entirety.
Check out the rest of our slowly building “Best Albums of 2009″ list.
January 8th, 2010 at 3:13 AM
They have such a great sound. I’d love to see them live.