The Felice Brothers – Yonder is the Clock
I didn’t think I liked this all that much, stopped listening to it for a few weeks, and then started again in preparation for writing this review and found myself thinking that actually, perhaps I did really like it. Mind you, their first album was a bit like that, now that I think back.
There may be nothing here to quite capture the sparkle of Frankie’s Gun or the magic of Wonderful Life, but then it’s largely impossible to recapture the excitement of falling in love with a great band for the first time. Maybe that coloured my first few listens, but having taken the break I was able to clear those particular sinuses and listen almost with fresh ears.
The result? Well, this is really an excellent record. I’ve been talking to Campfires & Battlefields, one of my most long-term readers, about it and he likened the feel of it to Tom Waits’ Bloody Money or Alice. Personally, I’d go for Alice – there’s certainly a gorgeously intimate spell in the middle of this album which has a similarly cossetting atmosphere to that record.
When they get upbeat it changes somewhat, though. Run Chicken Run, Penn Station and (the not particularly brilliant) Memphis Flu are more rooted in stomping Americana than most Tom Waits material – in fact the latter couple are almost dance music, after a fashion. I love this record, but wouldn’t say that they’ve pushed their sound all that much though, so whilst if you liked the last one I’d recommend it, if you didn’t then I doubt this will be the one to change your mind.
The Felice Brothers – Penn Station
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The Felice Brothers – Ambulance Man
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Been waiting for them to hit the west coast of the USA so I can check them out. These guys make me think of The Band, especially the basement tapes. The mix of acoustic instruments, the group vocals and the recording that sounds like it was done in a big open room.
I’ll have to put my ears on some more Tom Waits, right after I look up the word “cossetting”
I’ve only just begun to listen to the new record properly, and so far I love most of it, like some of it, and could do without Memphis Flu. I’ve seen them play Run Chicken Run live, and I think their on-stage performance of it was a bit superior to the one on this record. It’s true that they haven’t “pushed their sound” much. Actually, this record is, if anything, less polished than the last one was. But their sound is already pretty unique, so it’s not that easy to imagine what they’d do to “push” it. Add synths? More cowbell? Maybe horns. They used horns beautifully on the last record, but there’s only a few here.
By the way, I just learned that Simone Felice (the oldest brother, the drummer, and the singer on tunes like Your Belly In My Arms, Mercy, and Don’t Wake The Scarecrow) has kinda sorta left the band. He explains his highly personal reasons in an open letter on their myspace page if you’re interested. Sad.
I’m going to have to buy this for my drive to Las Vegas later today. Should make for a good desert drive soundtrack. You guys have a good weekend
i just can’t get into the felice brothers. i think it’s the vocals. i try, mind you, but i guess they’re a little too alt-country/americana for me.
Fucking hell, C&B, that’s a bit fucking harrowing. Gulp.
i can’t wait to hear this………
I actually find this one quite boring. I’m waiting for the ‘kick’, but it never comes. This seems like a step backwards rather than a lurch forwards. Given that Alice is the one TW album I just can’t get, no matter how I try, maybe that’s not surprising?
Alice????? Seriously?? Have you lost your marbles, man? It’s a fucking classic you crazy individual!
(Although I can kind of see where you’re coming from on the Felice Brothers album, but Alice??)
As I said, way back on the TW spesh #1, I had the demos about 3 years before the album was re-recorded/released proper & it just never, ever did anything for me. There’s one or 2 tracks on there, but in general it sounds like TW-lite/copystat to me. I’d rather plop on Blue Valentine, truth be n’all.
Christ almighty. Fish & Bird, Kommeniezuspaet, Lost in the Harbour, Poor Edward, Tabletop Joe, Fawn, Bacarolle? I am stunned. I loved the demos too – an ex gave them too me some time when I was at uni, I forget exactly when – and I loved both, but actually found the released version a little tighter.
Christ.
Flabberghasted. It just doesn’t make sense to me, with all the ones you could have chosen. I find Blood Money slightly patchy as an album, I find large parts of Orphans a little unimaginative, some of the Black Rider is just too much, Closing Time can be a little on the overly gentle side, and I am not saying that Alice is without its flaws, but I am amazed that it in any way stands out as being unexceptional for you. Truly amazed.
We all have our blind spots.
Whereas Black Rider, for me, was genius (& I adore Closing Time; the 2nd, I think, album of his, I ever bought).
I adore Closing Time, it just appears a little tame in hindsight, and I love large chunks of Bone Machine (sorry, not the Black Rider – you’re right, that is unmitigated genius). My point is not that they are bad, more that all the albums have their own little flaws and Alice for me doesn’t stand out in any sense as being more flawed than the others and I am surprised, not that you dislike, but that it seems to stand out for you so much, particularly in a bad way. Not trying to persuade you of course, just really surprised.
unique sound??? really???!!!
damn it. broke my no posting rule!!
No posting rule?
I wouldn’t say these lads had a unique sound either. It’s one I love, but it’s pretty run of the mill in terms of style.
The Felice Brothers – good ole stomping rock n roll…music to keep the weariness of life at bay for the length of a song or two….and thats all there is to it….
I find their sound totally unique, yes. Much in the same way that Tom Waits’ sound is unique. Obviously it has influences and roots (like Tom Waits does), but there is unquestionably a distinctive Felice Brothers “sound.” I don’t mean to push the Tom Waits comparison too far, by the way. Unless they’re still blowing me away in 2030 there’s just no basis for comparison. Alice is nearly my favorite Tom Waits record, and if you are unmoved by Flower’s Grave and I’m Still Here you need to see a doctor quickly, because you might be dying.
It’s true that there’s no obvious Frankie’s Gun or Wonderful Life moments here, but that’s OK with me. My favorite tunes from the last record were Murder By Mistletoe and St. Stephen’s End, and so this new one hits just the right notes for me.
Poor Simone. Fucking harrowing indeed. I had something similar happen about 10 years ago, and it was almost unbearable. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to listen to Your Belly In My Arms again without bursting into tears.
respect and empathy
i don’t hear this unique sound C&B – help me out? i hear massive amounts of The Band and a large splattering of Bob Dylan and some Black Rider Tom Waits.
this ain’t no bad thing!!!! but they’re not unique. and i just can’t seem to get as excited about these guys as everyone else seems to. i am liking the new tunes for sure but thats about it for me.
Strange, I reacted to this album in the way that you did to The Decemberists. Especially compared to their last album, I felt this one was boring pretentious (the whole Great Depression lyrical theme doesn’t make up for the flat Bright Eyes style of most of it).
I do like the uptempo numbers, though, and “Penn Station” is particularly good. But I think if it hadn’t been The Felice Brothers, I wouldn’t have bothered listening more than one, let alone taking the time to review it. Of course, as I recall, you and I loved their self-titled albums for very different reasons.
I don’t deny that their sound is influenced by the Band, Dylan, and Waits. And Neil Young. And John Prine. And Gram Parsons. And Woody Guthrie. And Guy Clark. And Exile on Main Street-era Rolling Stones. Etc. But why do these influences mean they’re not unique? Certainly they’re not “imitating” anyone like some sort of pathetic Led Zep tribute band. Who else is making music today that draws on these influences and produces such fragile, earthy, warm music? If you can tell me I’d love to know. I’ll cultivate their acquaintance.
C&B, I see your point and I agree with the fragile,earthy and warm comment completely. But I don’t hear influenced by, I hear this is Black Rider Waits in Ambulance Man, particularly the accordian and his voice is edging towards the crazy Waits rasp. I like this band, and they might be unique in this day and age, but their sound, the overall feel and whats going on, is in no way unique to me. I’ve heard it before – in all the artists you list. Which in turn is why I like it I suppose.
i think this cd is absolutely amazing and personally i love Memphis Flu. I think it’s great that Conor Oberst picked them up for Team Love records. The first time I saw the Felice Brothers live was at a Bright Eyes show a few years back and I’ve been hooked ever since. They do such a great show live although I’m pretty sure when I saw them with Bright Eyes Ian was too intoxicated to stand up so he did most of the show from the floor. I’m going to see them in Philly next week and can’t wait.