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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. What I Wouldn't Do |
| 2. New Heights |
| 3. Electric Twist |
| 4. Blow Away |
| 5. Happier |
| 6. Swan Song |
| 7. Elements |
| 8. The World Without |
| 9. Bird of the Summer |
| 10. Stood Up |
| 11. The Beacon |
Product Description
CD Description
Fronted by 24 year old California based Alison Sudol, the outfit who performs under the Shakespearean pseudonym A Fine Frenzy, was first introduced to the world with the 2007 Gold selling album One Cell In The Sea. The project established Sudol as one of the most talented young female singer songwriters around.
With Bomb In A Birdcage Sudol has successfully managed to sidestep the sophomore slump. Retaining the tuneful charm and whimsical language of the debut, Bomb In A Birdcage delivers additional colour and texture with louder guitars and suggests Sudol has distinctly more fire in her belly. With her passion for the English classics of Dickens, Hardy and Jane Austin, Sudol brings a literate flourish to her songs.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The debut album by A Fine Frenzy, 'One Cell in the Sea', has over the past year or two been gathering an increasingly strong fan base for Alison Sudol and her band. It was an album of poetic, sometimes haunting songs; and the first single from that album, 'Almost Lover', propelled her to stardom, with particular success in continental Europe as well as her native America. For those who might have been expecting her new album to continue in the same style, 'Bomb in a Birdcage', may come as a surprise.
The album cover may contain a hint: gone is the perhaps slightly fragile and shy look of Sudol on 'One Cell in the Sea', and in comes a sassy, in-your-face image of the artist as a determined, daring woman. However, lest I am worrying fans of her debut album, there are some overlaps and similarities in the music. Alison Sudol the poet is still very much there, and the lyrics of the new tracks continue to use beautiful and memorable imagery and expressions. Also, there are some songs that pick up from her earlier style, perhaps in particular 'Happier', 'Bird of Summer' and 'Swan Song'; the latter is an extraordinarily beautiful expression of loss and regret, and one of my favourite tracks. Perhaps the first single from the album, 'Blow Away', is something of a bridge between the old and the new A Fine Frenzy, with powerful melody but also a punchy beat. This song also shows off her strong vocal range, as she manages to deliver a part rock anthem and part operatic aria in a song that unites these styles quite easily and very successfully.
And then there are other songs where Sudol makes use of various styles that have informed her music, including jazz, rock and even country. While there isn't a weak song on the album, the one that made me sit up most when I first heard it was 'We Stood Up', a rallying cry of defiance and determination, but which (as the final line reveals) is a plea for kindness.
Not many singers or bands risk completely new departures after a successful first album. 'Bomb in a Birdcage' is a pure delight because it refuses to allow A Fine Frenzy to be typecast, but at the same time does not refuse to give her fans some of what they have come to treasure. It is a hugely powerful album, supported by songwriting that is clever, astute, enticing, original and simply musical, and driven by a performance from Sudol and her band that is hugely impressive. The musical accompaniment is sophisticated, emphatic where it needs to be but also very subtle in some of the songs - I think I could hear flutes and horns, for example.
This is a must-buy, must-have album.
The album cover may contain a hint: gone is the perhaps slightly fragile and shy look of Sudol on 'One Cell in the Sea', and in comes a sassy, in-your-face image of the artist as a determined, daring woman. However, lest I am worrying fans of her debut album, there are some overlaps and similarities in the music. Alison Sudol the poet is still very much there, and the lyrics of the new tracks continue to use beautiful and memorable imagery and expressions. Also, there are some songs that pick up from her earlier style, perhaps in particular 'Happier', 'Bird of Summer' and 'Swan Song'; the latter is an extraordinarily beautiful expression of loss and regret, and one of my favourite tracks. Perhaps the first single from the album, 'Blow Away', is something of a bridge between the old and the new A Fine Frenzy, with powerful melody but also a punchy beat. This song also shows off her strong vocal range, as she manages to deliver a part rock anthem and part operatic aria in a song that unites these styles quite easily and very successfully.
And then there are other songs where Sudol makes use of various styles that have informed her music, including jazz, rock and even country. While there isn't a weak song on the album, the one that made me sit up most when I first heard it was 'We Stood Up', a rallying cry of defiance and determination, but which (as the final line reveals) is a plea for kindness.
Not many singers or bands risk completely new departures after a successful first album. 'Bomb in a Birdcage' is a pure delight because it refuses to allow A Fine Frenzy to be typecast, but at the same time does not refuse to give her fans some of what they have come to treasure. It is a hugely powerful album, supported by songwriting that is clever, astute, enticing, original and simply musical, and driven by a performance from Sudol and her band that is hugely impressive. The musical accompaniment is sophisticated, emphatic where it needs to be but also very subtle in some of the songs - I think I could hear flutes and horns, for example.
This is a must-buy, must-have album.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
It's hard to keep up sometimes with so much good new music in the world.
I am indebted to Marvin Mole for introducing me to this truly splendid album.
A Fine Frenzy is Alison Sudol and this is her second album; the first,
'One Cell In The Sea', was released in 2007 and also deserves attention.
Ms Sudol is a quirky songwriter. Her material is melodically very strong.
She sings with power, conviction and idiosyncratic good humour.
Things kick off in sunny style with the infectious 'What I Wouldn't Do'.
Finger-picking guitar, hand-clapping, whistling - it's all in there
chugging along and creating an irresistible party mood.
Many of the songs are really lovely. 'Happier' is a bitter-sweet little
piece of perfection. So too 'New Heights', a richly layered composition
with one of the finest vocal performances on the album.
'Electric Twist' stomps along beautifully with its delicious bass-line
pushed well forward in the mix just where it belongs.
'Blown Away' is a raucous piece of magic. The killer chorus blew me away !
'Bird Of Summer' is a beguilingly simple construction shot through
with mercurial flute, luminous piano and driving percussion.
'The Beacon' again demonstrates what a terrific singer Ms Studol is.
The voice is rich and sure and very exposed in a marvelously warm
arrangement for piano and brass. Stunning.
'Swan Song', however, is the album's heart and soul. Simply sublime.
Thankyou once again Mr Mole. 'Bomb In A Birdcage' is yet
one more musical experience to add to the list of the
very best that we are likely to hear this year.
Essential.
I am indebted to Marvin Mole for introducing me to this truly splendid album.
A Fine Frenzy is Alison Sudol and this is her second album; the first,
'One Cell In The Sea', was released in 2007 and also deserves attention.
Ms Sudol is a quirky songwriter. Her material is melodically very strong.
She sings with power, conviction and idiosyncratic good humour.
Things kick off in sunny style with the infectious 'What I Wouldn't Do'.
Finger-picking guitar, hand-clapping, whistling - it's all in there
chugging along and creating an irresistible party mood.
Many of the songs are really lovely. 'Happier' is a bitter-sweet little
piece of perfection. So too 'New Heights', a richly layered composition
with one of the finest vocal performances on the album.
'Electric Twist' stomps along beautifully with its delicious bass-line
pushed well forward in the mix just where it belongs.
'Blown Away' is a raucous piece of magic. The killer chorus blew me away !
'Bird Of Summer' is a beguilingly simple construction shot through
with mercurial flute, luminous piano and driving percussion.
'The Beacon' again demonstrates what a terrific singer Ms Studol is.
The voice is rich and sure and very exposed in a marvelously warm
arrangement for piano and brass. Stunning.
'Swan Song', however, is the album's heart and soul. Simply sublime.
Thankyou once again Mr Mole. 'Bomb In A Birdcage' is yet
one more musical experience to add to the list of the
very best that we are likely to hear this year.
Essential.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Having loved the debut album by A Fine Frenzy, I was eager to get my hands on the next offering. And, although BOMB IN A BIRDCAGE is different to ONE CELL IN THE SEA, what has remained is Alison's amazing voice and her ability to make fantastic lyrics. While ONE CELL IN THE SEA had quite a fairytale feel to it, BOMB IN A BIRDCAGE sees A Fine Frenzy experimenting with their style. It sounds a little bit more rocky than the debut, maybe even a little bit more electro-pop in places, however the fairytale element can still be found. "Swan Song" - perhaps the masterpiece of this album - is a strange, beautiful and haunting song. I am sure it is like nothing that you have heard before, the introduction will show you that.
Why Alison does not have more recognition is beyond me. This is music with real heart and soul.
A welcome progression by an amazing young woman. Can't wait to see what will be next in her story.
Why Alison does not have more recognition is beyond me. This is music with real heart and soul.
A welcome progression by an amazing young woman. Can't wait to see what will be next in her story.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent
Can an album be mellow and upbeat at the same time? This one does it. I loved One Cell In The Sea which was very mellow and I think I expected more of the same in this album, but... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Clairo
It's ok...
Unlike the other reviewers here I was not overly impressed with this second effort from A Fine Frenzy. On first listen I hated it, absolutely hated it. Read more
Published 21 months ago by A. C. Parsons
bomb
this album shows how much improvement can be made in two years, well done alison !!
Published 21 months ago by fall341
my fav. album by Alison
I got introduced to A Fine Frenzy when I heard "What I wouldn't do" on somebody's engagement video and I got so intrigued by the folk melody and... Read more
Published on 7 May 2010 by Iriska
Different, quirky and fun.
I loved The first album 'One Cell In The Sea' and was a little worried that Alison Sudol might not manage to live up to my expectations with the second album. Read more
Published on 2 May 2010 by S. Duca
Great album with a lot of variety
Just got hold of this album today and really impressed.
A Fine Frenzy's first album "One cell in the Sea" is a great album with a very soft and gentle sort of feel to... Read more
A Fine Frenzy's first album "One cell in the Sea" is a great album with a very soft and gentle sort of feel to... Read more
Published on 24 April 2010 by C. T. Maddison
excellent and cheery album
despite the monochrome cover and weird title (which makes sense when you hear the song), this is a colourful and cheery album with some stunning melodies and arrangements. Read more
Published on 1 Nov 2009 by Paul Woodstone
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