Fanfarlo “Reservoir” Review

There is an underlying earnestness threaded throughout Fanfarlo’s glorious debut album Reservoir, both within the heartfelt tracks themselves, and the young English band’s unorthodox decision to forgo the larger labels that were courting them and self-release the record (as well as make it available for one dollar for a limited time on the band’s website). It’s as if the band wants its music to go through as few filters as possible before it reaches the listener’s ears. One of the filters just happens to be über-producer Peter Katis (The National, Interpol), which is quite a coup for an emerging indie band, and his skilled production gives these songs a breadth, scope and confidence that is distinct and unusual for such a young group.

The Swedish singer and chief songwriter Simon Balthazar guides the band’s intricate songs forward with his lush vocals (reminiscent of Beirut’s Zach Condon as well as Ed Harcourt) and grand arrangements that really flourish under the skilled hands of Katis. “I’m A Pilot” starts the record strongly, with the marching beat of drummer Amos Memon driving the song along before it gives way to the sprawling, lush orchestration of the chorus, with Bathazar delivering lines that are symbolic of the record itself: “But kid, I’m a pilot. It’s all I believe in… You can ride on my back.” And indeed, the song truly soars and Balthazar carries the listener effortlessly along throughout the duration of the record. The band has been plagued by being labeled as the UK’s answer to Arcade Fire, and while ornamental elements of AF’s songs permeate Reservoir (especially on tracks like “Ghosts,” “Luna,” and particularly “Drowning Men,” which sounds like “Rebellion (Lies) Part II”), the band injects these songs with enough of its own piquancy to not be found derivative. It’s just far too easy to get swept up in the energy and emotion found in these spiraling anthems, so why get bogged down by gratuitous comparisons?

The slow-burning “Comets” kills a bit of the momentum created by the start of the album, but it proves to be such a polished, elegiac song that you can’t imagine the record without it. It’s subtle in its beauty, and the mournful sounds of the elegant horns and glockenspiel settles the splendor of the track. The horns continue to ring out on the vibrant “Fire Escape,” which has a gratifying chorus that features a sublime trumpet solo by Leon Beckenham. The fine arrangements and penetrating orchestration found throughout Reservoir are what ultimately allows these songs to take flight and make them truly memorable. These are most assuredly pop songs, but when they are dressed up in all of this finery it’s hard to not think they’re somehow more substantial than that. And when they are imbued with the sort of passion and understated emotion as Balthazar gives to the haunting and gorgeous “If It Is Growing,” it is best to let yourself just float away on the melody.

There are hints of David Byrne found throughout this album, both musically and vocally, and this is quite apparent on the last few songs on the record. But again, the band injects enough of its own spirit and inventiveness into these songs to make them sound original and not merely uninspired retreads. “Harold T. Wilkins, Or How To Wait For A Very Long Time” builds to such a rousing, emphatic conclusion that you forget about the ridiculousness of the song’s title. And “Finish Line” represents just that, the end of the line for the album (other than the instrumental coda of closer “Good Morning Midnight”), and closes the record out as strongly as it began, with anthemic, soaring arrangements to accompany Balthazar’s insight into the struggle he went through making Reservoir: “Last year was a good year, I beat myself to a bloody mess, but blue is the colour of the days I’m hoping for.”

But whatever toil and exertion the band went through to give us Reservoir has proved to be more than worth it, as the band has crafted an album full of exalted, gorgeous songs that linger long after they’ve stopped ringing in my ears. These tracks are steeped in honest sentiment and maturity, and while they contain familiar elements of others who’ve laid the path Fanfarlo now tread upon, there is enough originality and inventiveness here to make comparisons seem futile. Here’s to hoping that this groundswell of support and approval the band has been receiving as of late continues to snowball and it finally starts to find the audience that their sensational songs deserve. For Fanfarlo have given us, in Reservoir, a soundtrack to a wide spectrum of emotions and events, whether we’ve experienced them yet or not.