The British alt-rock scene has always been obsessed with electronic music. From The Stone Roses in 1989 to Primal Scream in the 90s and Klaxons just last year, our neighbors across the pond have never had a problem mixing strings and keys.
It’s fitting then, that St. Albans-based Friendly Fires come at the idea from the other end on their self-titled debut album, mixing rock influences into their more electronic sound. Nowhere is this mixture more clear than on “White Diamonds,” which plays like a T Rex song for the post-disco era, loping guitar riffs, cowbells, and all.
If that description turns you off (i.e., if you hate The Rapture), turn back now—it’s only going to get worse. If you like early 80s pop (the Prince/Michael Jackson kind, not the New Order kind), stay right here—all of Friendly Fires sees the group adding terse guitars and strutting rhythms to a number of distinct styles.
“In the Hospital,” for instance, starts off like your standard 80s pop dreck, but then somehow degenerates (or not?) into the kind of “nerd funk” that Talking Heads supposedly perfected. “Lovesick” starts like one of the few good cassettes that topped the 1982 charts and sticks with the “Thriller” feel all the way through, thanks in no small part to frontman Ed Macfarlane’s excellent MJ-esque delivery.
Still, the best tracks are those that owe less to a specific sound and show the group’s more varied influences. Standout “Strobe” mixes the album’s trademark rhythms with soaring synths, which sit in contrast to one another, showing the cheerful song’s darker underside.
Unfortunately, the sincere songs don’t populate the entire album, and the pastichey ones don’t either. That leaves half a great album that pulls from diverse influences, and five fun “retro” tunes. Cut Copy’s In Ghost Colours, M83’s Saturdays=Youth, and Neon Neon’s Stainless Style all reveled in the traditional sounds of the 80s with a wink, and are plenty fun because of it. Unlike those albums, Friendly Fires isn’t being intentionally nostalgic—the group just can’t seem to shake off its influences long enough to put together a unique statement of their own.
Voice’s Choices: “Lovesick,” “Strobe,” “Paris”
