Furr 2008 Sub Pop
The Fratellis
Here We Stand 2008 Interscope
The Beatles can be an incredibly vital influence to draw upon. They built blueprints for both pop songs and rock songs of which the reverberations are felt deeply even outside of those particular genres. However, they also happen to be one of those rare bands that is hard to emulate without lifting from them directly. As a result, bands attempting to do so will more often than not end up in one of two extremes. Either they fall short in a pitiful mess of things they truly did not comprehend, or they end up becoming a pale imitation, playing note for note certain sections but lacking any sort voice they can their own. Very rarely do they hit that perfect balance and actually build upon the great foundations laid before them.
Portland's Blitzen Trapper and Glasgow's The Fratellis have both released albums this year that bear many marks of The Beatles throughout them. Only one, however, has accomplished something admirable.
Two years ago I heard the Fratelli's disc Costello Music and was quite pleased. It seemed to be a much better version of the modern New Wave/Brit Pop peddled by bands like Franz Ferdinand, but without relying on repetition like so many others of the genre. There was brilliant tempo changes and clever production throughout. They laid groundwork in rock and roll but they laid Spanish folk, Irish drinking music and Punk rock within the layers drawing upon both the Beatles and the Clash equally. And it was raw. Raw and eclectic. I was very excited to see what they had in store next with their 2008 release, Here We Stand. Unfortunately what I found was that they had all but abandoned the eccentricities that had made them so intriguing and opted for a more homogenized and safe route. It is as if they had heard people praise their clever use of The Beatles' influence and decided to run with it. Gone are the brilliant, genre-jumping pop compositions which are replaced with tunes that can be jaw-droppingly similar to the legendary group. The biggest offender occurs near the end of the disc. "Lupe Brown" lifts note for note sections of "She Loves You" with vocals that sound to the letter like the harmonies of numerous other Beatles' tunes. I've shown many people this song and they listen in disbelief as it plays out. Normally the consensus is that they are not even trying to sound different. At such words, I lament the excitement I had to hear this record.
I had not heard Blitzen Trapper prior to hearing Furr and on initial listens I was inclined to write it off. However, unlike the Fratellis this band has actually pulled off what few have managed. They do manage, at times, to successfully weave something of their very own out of the blueprints left behind. Certain songs are very well crafted, weaving very well their own voice within the Fab Four's influence. And maybe it is because that is but a small piece on a much larger plate. Blitzen Trapper is without a doubt well versed in classic rock and Steely Dan, Tom Petty, the Eagles and Elton John leave their occasional mark upon the grander outcome. But even they fall victim to the pitfalls of such attempts. The outstanding offense is "Black River Killer" which is essentially a reworking of Tom Petty's "Last Dance With Mary Jane." But even the weak songs on Furr are much more diverse than anything on Here We Stand and the album is indeed enjoyable on certain occasions. I'll keep a watchful eye.
It is my hope that The Fratellis can recover from their slip up here in 2008 and return with something as vibrant and lively as its predecessor. Yes, I can respect and even like to see growth but maturing does not mean diluting what was great.
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