Forest Fire's debut album, Survival, in 2008 slowly built up an online following helped in no small part by the fact that Catbird Records offered it as a free download.
Rough Trade records were among those who praised it although my guess is that band leader Mark Thresher was less than enamoured when the songs on this album were labelled as 'cosmic Americana'.
Thresher said in one interview that he wanted the band's sophomore release to be more of a direct statement, signalling an aim to move beyond the somewhat ramshackle folky charm of their debut. Yet if his intension was is to draw a line to the X he certainly doesn't follow a simple A to B route.
Numerous side turnings take the New York based combo into some very hazy ramblings to embrace introspective folk with a punk attitude, classic rock blended with art-noise and even contains what the record label blurb identifies as "sinister funk".
On the opening track (Born Into) Thresher declares "My heart is new" and while this tune also features some majestic guitar it is underpinned by a brooding quality which pervades the album as a whole.
Future Shadows has the same vaguely positive intent ("try to give this day a reason") but as this is delivered in a languid Patrick Wolf-ish voice it means that such sentiments are anything but reassuring.
The News is , at two and half minutes, the shortest track and the repeated line "You won't get far with that look in your eyes" is as close as Thresher gets to writing a 'hook' (this is presumably why it has been selected as the first single from the album).
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But there are few such concessions to the mainstream here. Despite is pop dynamic, the abrupt ending of The News catches you off guard the first time you hear it and two other tracks keep listeners on their toes in a similar manner; namely the title track and Mtns Are Mtns. On the latter, the sudden fade cuts off a sax interlude just as it seemed to be getting into its stride as if the band had second thoughts about the inclusion of this instrument.
The slow burning and ominously titled They Pray Execution Style emphasises the album's darker side and also stands out from the rest of the album through the fact that the muted vocals come from bassist Natalie Stormann.
This stops and shifts seem to deliberately subvert any notion that this is an easy-listening record and simultaneously makes pigeon-holing nigh-on impossible.
The dreamy eight minute closing track Visions In Plastic gives notice of the ambition and confidence of the band. They may not have yet truly found their voice but listening to them while they strive towards this goal makes for a highly intriguing and rewarding listen.
Forest Fire on Myspace
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