Friendly Fires

Friendly Fires | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 23, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Beggars Xl Recording
• ASIN: B001CVCBBC
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,609 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

One of the most exciting bands from the UK. Last year's super limited 7-inch "Paris" was judged the single of the week in both the NME and The Guardian for its deft combination of clattering percussion and a blissed out, hum along hook. Other songs on this release contain driving punk funk grooves with unstoppable pop melodies, joyous vocals, wonky waltz-like rhythms, and My Bloody Valentine atmospherics. It's all the more impressive when you consider the band recorded this entirely themselves on a laptop.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Excellant December 9, 2008

By The Geekster of Planetgeek.net

Format:Audio CD

Most excellent! This is the best new band I have come across in a while. I stumbled across this band while on You Tube searching for a Friendly Fire incident involving the US Army in Iraq. Crisp cool exceptional vocals tied together with a tight arrangement and excellent production. At 57 years old I wish I could still dance on these old war torn knees. I see this band going big time and can not wait until their next album is released.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the New New Wave March 25, 2009

By Falstaff

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you're a fan of the new generation of extremely polished, 80's-style, mesmerizing wavy pop that's going around, you will love these guys. Every track is very well-crafted...a truly well-rounded album. Some of the best stuff coming from that side of the Atlantic right now.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent debut album August 1, 2009

By Paul Allaer TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Uk-based trio Friendly Fires formed in 2006, and is one of the many, many bands out there that is reinventing and giving a new interpretation of the 1980s 'new wave' sound for the 21st century. After a couple of well-received EPs, the band got signed to Xl and in the Fall of 2008 finally released their debut album.

"Friendly Fires" (10 tracks; 37 min.) starts off with a blasting "Jump In the Pool" (UK single), and sounds very much like the title suggests. "Paris" (their 2007 break-out single) is also included here and is 'simply irresitable'. The songs follow one another in a furious pace, and the album plays really like one long dance-party. "On Board", my favorite track of the album, just makes just you want to jump on board this dance party. "Skeleton Boy" will bring any wallflower to the dance floor. As you play this, 1980s-era output of New Order comes to mind of course, as will contemporary Aussie-band Cut Copy. At just 37 min., this album blasts by in no time. Just great.

I caught these guys earlier this year at Coachella, and what a great set they put on, playing most of the tracks of this album of course. Even though they played an early afternoon set, the tent was packed and the band made most of the opportunity and made the place jump, just fantastic. Meanwhile, if you wonder where you can hear these guys, check out WOXY (BAM! The Future of Rock & Roll), the internet-only station that brings the best indie-music in the country, bar none.