Tuesday 14 May 2013

Review: Fair Fjola – No One Gets Any


Fair Fjola – No One Gets Any (Glass Tank Productions)
From Warsaw, Indiana, Fair Fjola have released a debut that will thrill fans of Americana and retro Midwestern rock. At the group’s core is the Argentine-American Coria family, led by Sebastian, who sings and plays guitar. He’s joined by siblings Samuel (bass), Eileen (piano) and Veronica (ukulele and synth), and drummer Sam Gillis and lead guitarist Tyler Reinholt complete the six-piece group.

The Fair Fjola sound is dominated by solid songwriting. Every track arrives fully formed, and although their music is a little more rustic, I’m reminded of The Jayhawks, insofar that each song comes with a killer hook that nestles instantly in the subconscious. It’s a useful skill to have mastered and should find them an audience beyond their immediate locale. Indeed, if they’re as lucky as they are talented, several tracks from “No One Gets Any” would sound perfectly at home on the BBC specialist Americana radio shows – are you listening, Bob Harris?

They kick off the collection with “Walt's”, and with its harmony vocal and piano motif, it sits somewhere between the Avett Brothers and Fleet Foxes. Following track “Structures Like These” begins slow and sparse, but builds beautifully, and “Missing Plaquemines” begins with fairground drums and a looped uke, before breaking delightfully. I hope they make it over to the UK soon – I suspect they’d do very well on the folk and roots festival circuit.
Tony S.

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