Eleanor Friedberger

I am pretty dang sure I've posted on the Fiery Furnaces before. I would imagine that the post talked about my love for the more straightforward songs. The sad songs. Well, Eleanor Friedberger has released her first solo record. Guess what song is my favorite? Yep, the straightforward sad song. I am as predictable as a clock but that's okay. The favorite is I Wont Fall Apart on You Tonight. I think the rest of the album will be a grower because off the bat this is the only song that really grabbed me. The record is a snapshot of places and times and I am fond of that style of writing. Especially when it's places that I'm so familiar with. Having your view of something and then hearing someone else sharing theirs is always an eye opening experience. Obviously Eleanor is incredibly talented and I respect the less straight ahead approach to songwriting. If I can find my way in, I do think that this could be a great summer bleeding into fall record.

Allo Darlin'

Allo Darlin' are an awesome band from England though two of the members are originally from Australia. I first saw them in 2010 at the NYC Popfest where they charmed the audience who then demanded an encore after they played their set. The band were so flattered and humbled that night by their reception and for some reason that always stuck with me. In this day and age of bands coming and going every 5 seconds, to see a band that was clearly not expecting such a rapturous response really warmed my heart. For some unknown reason, I did not purchase the album that night.

When I found out they were coming to play the US again I planned on going to see how well my memory served me. So on June 8 me and some friends made our way to the Mercury Lounge to see them again. While the opening band was seriously one of the worst things I've ever heard and the bill was completely mismatched we soldiered through and kept our excitement intact by mocking the band that was playing. As they played the room filled up and it became clear that many others had fallen in love with Allo Darlin' over the course of the year. By the time they went on they were playing to a full room. For a moment, my belief in good old fashioned songwriting ability, touring, and word of mouth amongst fans was restored.

The band debuted some new songs (all wonderful) and were as fantastic as I remembered. My friends and I look forward to the new record just based on what we heard that night! In the meantime, I'd like to help spread the gospel. Their debut is a solid win from start to finish and it was difficult for me to pick one song to post. I went with my current favorite: Silver Dollars. Enjoy!