Album Review:

Fool’s Gold
Fool’s Gold
Release Date: 25/01/2010


On paper, Fool’s Gold are a world music fan’s dream: a nine-piece ensemble from Los Angeles that plies their trade playing poppy afrobeat, sung in Hebrew. Although the mere mention of “world” in describing any contemporary band is likely to ring a big, shiny Vampire Weekend bell, a strict comparison should be avoided. Fool’s Gold are greater in number than their East Coast afropop contemporaries, and their extensive brass and percussive sections afford them a larger, richer sound. Furthermore, Fool’s Gold’s eclectic approach fails to deliver on the hype – the song quality on this first offering is as varied as their cultural backgrounds and influences.

The main problem with this LP is that it peaks almost as soon as it begins – album opener and first single ‘Surprise Hotel’ is the strongest song by a country mile. The bright twang of overlapping guitar riffs, afrobeat rhythms and dizzy saxophone solos build to a dancey carnivalesque outro that instantly raises the spirits. The majority of the remainder of the album is, however, dominated by mid-pace five-minute-plus ballads that quickly grow old. That these tracks fail is an inescapable consequence of vocalist Luke Top’s decision to sing solely in Hebrew. Whilst his chanting plays a key role in the success of the more upbeat tracks; faced with a drop in tempo and in the absence of a strong hook on tracks such as ‘Nadine’, ‘The World Is All There Is’, and ‘Momentary Shelter’, it inevitably alienates non-Hebrew-speaking listeners. Meanwhile, classically trained guitarist and co-songwriter Lewis Pescacov seems to have been given licence to solo virtually at will. This yields dividends in ‘Ha Dvash’, but even his talent as a player does not justify the boorish length and tempo of the aforementioned tracks.

There are, however, some other nuggets that can join ‘Surprise Hotel’ in the pot of genuine musical gold, namely ‘Poseidon’ and ‘Night Dancing’. They demonstrate Fool’s Gold’s ability to spice up their classic afrobeat setup with the inclusion of synthesisers, sometimes adding a darker dimension to their sound. This is most notable on ‘Night Dancing’ where the track descends into a fuzzy haze of electronic arpeggios – a far cry from the sunny guitars of ‘Surprise Hotel’.

Unfortunately, like a film that puts all the best bits in the trailer, this album fails to fulfil its promise. The band’s name, ironically, offers an apt description of this album’s failings: looks have flattered to deceive the hype-hungry music blogs that promised something truly special from this multicultural medley. This said, we should not write Fool’s Gold off – there is potential for greatness. Let’s hope their next effort is a 24 carat classic.

6/10

By Jóse Carbajo

Album Review:

The Soft Pack
The Soft Pack
Release Date: 01/02/2010


The punk purists and cynics among us must have been disappointed with The Soft Pack’s decision to change their name from The Muslims to their current moniker. Maybe it’s a sign of the times when the latest upstarts on the scene back down after a little negative attention; but at least this San Diego four-piece haven’t compromised anything about their intelligent brand of garage rock in so doing. This, The Soft Pack's self-titled second release, defies all ‘sophomore slump’ theorists by delivering 32 minutes of pop punk fun.

Pacey opener and first single, ‘C’mon’, sets the tone for much of the rest of the record. Matt Lamkin’s delivery is charged with urgency but leaves just enough room for the pointed, matter-of-fact observations characteristic of the band’s strongest lyrics; and it’s also clear that The Soft Pack have matured as musicians, apparent here in the impressive lead guitar work of Matty Mcloughlin, showing that this group can offer more than just a catchy power chord structure.

The decision to collaborate with producer Eli Jamney has resulted in The Soft Pack gaining a more complex texture to their sound (see especially: ‘Pull Out’, ‘Down On Loving’ and ‘Move Along’), particularly with the inclusion of organs and acoustic guitars. This is a welcome change for a band that has sometimes been guilty of sinking into garage rock monotony, marked by the overuse of reverb-tinged surf guitar and a ‘driving’ rhythm section. Tellingly, even on this release it is the songs lacking these new sonic subtleties that are the most disappointing. As the album streaks towards ‘Tides of Time’ and ‘Flammable’, you’re left with the sense that The Soft Pack are running out of steam; the former lacks punch, whilst the latter is a virtual carbon copy of ‘Move Along’ – minus the playful organ motifs and wonderfully discordant solo. Thankfully, The Soft Pack redeem themselves with the stoned-beach-holiday dreaminess of penultimate track, ‘Mexico’; built around a lilting Latin bass line, it brings a much needed change of pace before the head-banging resumes with closing track ‘Parasites’.

Although The Soft Pack aren’t offering anything especially innovative here, they are (as the saying goes) ‘doing what they do best’. These songs are anthems for the kids. The Soft Pack have followed a tried and tested formula – but they’ve done so with enough poise, intelligence and charisma to warrant serious attention.

8/10

By José Carbajo