Yes, the second album from Exeter tunesmiths Count To Fire is here, and it is a great pleasure to announce it is rather splendid. The last one was full of timeless, country-tinged indie-pop songs, and this is true on this release - except more so. The band's sound is now more polished, with them sounding more confident and mature, although to be honest neither of those things were lacking before.
"Screen Play" opens the album with a jaunty piano-led introduction, supplemented by a strong (by which is meant not loud but structural) rhythm section throughout what is, at heart, an infectious pop-song.
"Casablanca" appeared on a previous release but has been seemingly re-recorded and it sounds much the better for it. There is a Beach Boys vibe hiding in there, and one of the best choruses you are likely to hear for a long time. This, ladies and gentleman of the music industry, is how "hit" songs should be written.
The third track, "Battles" offers a change of pace and mood, with an acoustic strum and piano opening giving way to a string-laced chorus of the highest order. This is a great sing, with lovely vocals and (as is usual with Count To Fire) meaningful lyrics.
"City Lights" is musically very simple (no, understated) but has another excellent vocal performance that carries the song along. The rich strings make this a very affecting song about lost love.
"I'm The Man You Need" follows, and is the most country-tinged track so far, offering quite upbeat melodies, while "In Another Life" is like it's darker sibling. This a track Mark Lanegan or indeed Johnny Cash would be proud of, with heavy bass and piano and strings giving it an epic sound. It is what is called a "slow burner".
|
Next is "Falling In Line", another slow-burning belter that fully illustrates Count To Fire's ability to tell a story very well.
"Emotion Machine" would fit very nicely on the next Sons & Daughters album (and that is a great compliment), with up-tempo staccato guitars and sharp drums giving way to a slow chorus which is a welcome reverse of the archetypal song structure which has this the other way around.
"Stormy Heart" is very melancholic with the passionate vocal delivery underpinned by slow, "blue" violins and piano.
The final song "The Man In The Long Black Coat" is a Johnny Cash cover, and really shows the band's major influence. They make the song there own though, and it fits easily on to the album as a whole. They obviously have much respect for the great man, and do not let him down here.
When reviewing their last album, your scribe suggested they should be courted by some record labels if nothing else, to help increase the band's exposure. They did not listen. They REALLY should. And so should you. This is a gem of an album.
Count to Fire on Myspace
|
