I recently signed up for a LimeWire account (they got me with their “Live at Lime” series); so far I’m really digging it, largely because it’s turned me on to some new music from bands I likely would not have been exposed to otherwise. Case in point: Doctor Leaves. Doctor Leaves was featured on the LimeWire homepage recently (which I think just rotates through new releases) and something about the cover art intrigued me enough to check it out. Really glad I did, as it’s been on heavy rotation at my house since.
Serving up a modern take on quirky, catchy, 80s pop (think XTC meets Pelle Carlberg), this Dublin duo recently released a self-titled 4-song EP that showcases their various strengths—GREAT lyrics, lovely instrumentation (string and piano flourishes that are perfectly tasteful), and tuneful melodies. The EP starts strong but no doubt saves its best for the finish, making for a nice pacing that has me wanting to listen again and again to see what subtle embellishments I might have missed on the previous listen. It’s hard to pick a standout track; as mentioned, I think due largely to the pacing of the record, I find myself most enjoying it towards the end. But there’s a lot to like here, from the second track, “When Darkness Turns to Light”‘s mellow acoustic flavor and sweet, introspective lyrics (“I don’t care where we end up with darkness turns to light, as long as I’m with you”… awww … and “I don’t think you like me as much as I think I like you, but I hope that we can still be friends”) to the closer “Small Fish, Small Pond,” with its tasteful, understated guitar leads and catchy chorus that swells into a full-on indierock guitar solo at its conclusion.
Fans of good pop, like the aforementioned Carlberg and XTC, as well as Peter Bjorn and John, will definitely appreciate these guys. Dare I say they’re just what the doctor ordered?
I had never heard of Belarus prior to receiving the self-titled CD from Friga, a band (or more accurately, a solo project of Dmitry Friga) that hails from the small country located in Eastern Europe. But a visit to Wikipedia taught me a few facts about this landlocked region, the most interesting being the country’s struggle to create its own distinctive identity prior to the 20th century, as its lands belonged to several ethnically different countries (the country declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991).
One might say that Friga also suffers from an identity crisis; however, I think the way this disc explores a number of genres, such as industrial, hard rock, techno and electro-pop, is one of its strongest attributes. Friga’s bio notes also a British rock influence, which prompted Dmitry to put English lyrics to his interesting instrumentation. That might be this release’s drawback; I find myself drawn to its bleeps, beeps and instrumentation, but none of the lyrics or vocal melodies grab me. But that’s not to take away from Friga’s strong musicianship and even stronger production values—it is noteworthy that Dmitry handled most of the instrumentation and recording duties himself.
To my ears, Friga’s highlights are the songs that veer away from straightforward dance/techno, such as in the lead-off “We are the stars” and the dreamy “Held up in grace.” The exception is “All the roads,” an upbeat toe-tapper that redeems itself from an almost rap/speak-singing style prominent in its verses with its New Order-meets-Radiohead beats, structure and refrain. That said, sometimes Friga wears its influences a bit too boldy on its sleeve, but all in all this is an ambitious release that hits as much as it misses (yet I can’t help but think it would have served its purpose much better as a 5-song EP rather than a full-length).
As you can probably tell from this review, I went back and forth as to how I really felt about it. Ultimately, I remembered something I told myself years ago when I first started writing music reviews. If you’re on the fence, ask yourself, “Would I put this on at a party?” and “If I heard this at a party, how would I feel about it?”. Indeed, Friga is the type of record you might hear at a party, more specifically at the hip bachelor pad belonging to your nerdy but cool neighbor who’s working on his PHD in art history. Sure, it doesn’t break much, if any, new ground; but if you’re a fan of the aforementioned bands, Friga definitely warrants a listen.
Friga mailing envelope
