Become A Fan Of… A Fine Frenzy

Eight Songs That Will Get You Into A Fine Frenzy For Allison Sudol

Oct 29, 2009

You can become a fan of A Fine Frenzy in eight easy steps, from sampling the whimsy of "Blow Away" to the relentlessness of "Stood Up".

Allison Sudol writes and performs as “A Fine Frenzy”. She is currently on tour in support of her second album Bomb in a Birdcage, an impressive collection of tunes that are more than just tales from the singer-songwriter perspective. Her combination of playful lyrics and addictive melodies combine to form a sonic boom worthy of attention.

“Blow Away” is the first single for A Fine Frenzy’s newest album, Bomb in a Birdcage (2009). It’s hard to deny the bouncy and infectious beat that carries throughout the song. Falsetto is an acquired taste to some attuned ears, but Sudol uses hers well—check out her inflection during the chorus. The bridge also provides interesting movement with the stop-and-start guitar plucking giving way to the drums. The song builds up to the “fine frenzy” after which Sudol has named her music unit.

Meanwhile, “Electric Twist” is begins with a catchy and smart built-in clap track—always fun to get one of those right away on a track. Essentially this is a very tart, tongue-in-check response to how someone views you and what you want yourself to be.

Dramatic & Inspirational

It's a surprise to find a protest-like anthem on a personal album such as this, but there it is in “Stood Up”—a strong and thriving message to stand up and not to be afraid. It is a powerful song pulsing with strength and confidence furthered by stirring drums and a dramatic keyboard track. It’s hard not to be inspired with an undeniably compelling lyrics such as “there are two of us, there will be many more, yeah, we stood up.” It’s a true and personal call-to-arms song.

“Come On, Come Out” is the perfect choice for an opening track to AFF’s first album, One Cell in the Sea (2008). The imagery draws in the listener right away, depicting the singer observing nature (“watching the sky, you’re watching a painting, coming to life, shifting and shaping, staying inside, it all goes, all goes by”). There is a lot of inspiration and positivity to discover from observing the environment and Sudol takes in all of that and recreates that energy in this song.

Introspective

It’s hard not to be impressed with the heights that the melody takes during “New Heights”. There is also some really smart word play (“from your lips, a precipice, I hang on every word”) and the vocals are both compelling and inviting. The constant plucky beat of a piano carries through the song, but the swell of sound during the chorus is the keeper.

“Happier” is a bittersweet, yet slightly sardonic take on the break up song. It opens slower and more melodically than the other songs on the album, giving way to a darkly-sweet, down tempo riff during the main verse. The melancholy tone carries its way into the chorus, which is the best part of the song. Sudol’s voice as she sings “You’ll go on and I’ll be happier” is downright addictive, especially used as a refrain.

“Beacon” is a pure piano ballad, soft but meaningful. It contemplates acting as a beacon for someone else’s life. This is where the depth of Sudol’s lyrics and the power can be found, even in a song that is under three and a half minutes.

“Near To You”, off of One Cell in the Sea, shared many of those qualities. It is the story of someone who is caught between two relationships, one just ending and the other just beginning in the wake of that trauma. This isn’t an uncommon situation, but that’s what makes the song so compelling—because most have experienced this or know someone who has gone through it. The simultaneous pain and hope expressed in this song is palpable. This is another piano and strings ballad, but it’s so well delivered that Sudol’s voice and her delivery keep a listener glued to the song.

A Fine Frenzy proves to be buoyant and bubbly but also deep and emotionally challenging. It’s easy to become a fan of this music for its range of emotions. They give the music gravity and importance, but don’t weight down the album. Sudol never forgets to have fun and the up tempo tracks are some of the most pleasurable listening experiences of 2009.

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