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Product Description
Review
When a hip hop stalwart like ?uestlove expresses vigorous approval of three white boys from St Albans, they must be doing something right. The esteemed Roots drummer/producer’s own crew appear as the house band on US show Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, yet he felt moved to tweet surprise and admiration at Friendly Fires’ March performance of Live Those Days Tonight.
For the show’s recording the tropical banger, which opens Pala in striking fashion, was augmented with carnival percussion, a sound Friendly Fires have been working towards in earnest since the release of their excellent eponymous debut album. When that first record was married with the trio’s sweaty, frantic live shows, any listener with a pulse could be in no doubt of the band’s scorching future.
Pala, though, takes the lead from terrific 2009 single Kiss of Life. It’s more about garlands and suntans than the New Order synths and straight four-to-the-floor beats of old. Blue Cassette, an utterly joyful parade of polyrhythms and wonky loops overseen by stellar producer Paul Epworth, epitomises the album. When Ed Macfarlane sings, "As I hear your voice, it sets my heart on fire," only the soberest of men and women won’t want to parade around in revealing swimwear and drizzle viscous, mango-flavoured fluids on themselves. It’s swiftly succeeded by Running Away, a more sedate and sophisticated track but still defiantly beachy, like The Invisible playing volleyball.
Soon, Hurting takes things in a different direction. There are narcotic waves of blissful Washed Out drone crossed with more Macfarlane emoting, this time in an early-80s pop-soul manner. It’s the greatest song you’ve never heard on your hairdressers’ stereo. Elsewhere, for fans disappointed (so far) with the lack of anthems akin to On Board, there is True Love. Here you’ll find a nifty Edd Gibson bassline and Ibiza piano house chords in the breakdown; there will probably be babies conceived to it before the summer is out.
Friendly Fires have already proved themselves, but this second effort is a mighty step upwards. It is another terrific, clattering celebration of an album that sounds nothing like its peers, but hopefully will be rewarded with sales to dwarf Lady Gaga’s. That may be ridiculously unlikely, but the best thing about Pala is that it leaves you thinking anything might be possible.
--Lou Thomas
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CD Description
Named after the island in Aldous Huxley's 1962 novel 'Island', Pala, recorded over the last 12 months in locations across London, St. Albans, Rye, New York and Yvetot, France, has been produced in part by Paul Epworth along with the band. The artwork for the album features a parrot photograph from one of famed fashion photographer Solve Sundsbo's personal projects, while the album also sees musical collaborations with The Harlem Gospel Choir and Holy Ghost's Alex Frankel. The release follows the success of the band's debut album which received two Brit nominations as well as picking up a Mercury Prize nomination.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect present,
By
This review is from: Pala (Audio CD)
I bought this as a Christmas present for my 23 year old daughter who had only heard one track off it, Blue Cassette, but loved it. She now plays it all the time and says it's the best cd she has had for ages.
10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A joy to behold. Blissful retro- pop in technicolour. For your summer parties.,
By Ash "I love the best" (Harvard University,Cambridge,MA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Pala (Audio CD)
From the first punch of house piano on 'Live These Days Tonight", Friendly Fires' second album never once lets the graphic equaliser drop below full blast.And while making an album of breathless euphoria doesn't exactly deviate from what made their 2008 debut Friendly Fires so great, St. Albans' finest have still found room to evolve. The music is brash and camp, while lyrically Jack and Ed have abandoned their obsession with escapism to concentrate on more introspective themes. So while the lyrics get darker, the music becomes bolder - "Pala" boasts a slew of tracks certain to join the likes of "Paris" and "Jump In The Pool" as fan favourites, most notably the aforementioned album opener and its follow up, 'Blue Cassette". But what really ties the whole bundle together is Friendly Fires' understanding that dance music is inherently romantic. They have delivered a collection of electronic love letters packed tight with energy, nostalgic affection and hands-in-the-air excitement. Throughout "Pala", Friendly Fires strut their stuff in the way only a band who regularly hang out with samba dancers can - irresistibly and in glorious technicolour. An ace return that's destined to light up your summer... D. Renshaw
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An absolute stunner of an album.,
By
This review is from: Pala (Audio CD)
What to say, where to start... the eighties influences are there, and if you close your eyes you can imagine snatches of Scritti Politi a la "cupid and psyche", level 42, Duran Duran even... but this recording has its own life and identity.From the moment I slipped it into the player on its first spin right to the end I had a huge grin on my face. Just an amazing piece of music with beats and rhythms to really lose yourself in. For me the title track, and Blue Cassette and Hawaiian Air are the stand-outs.... but really there isn't a bad not all the way through. Sit in the sun, open something cold and enjoy.
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