watch the circles take you home
I have two musical items that I would like to share with you tonight related to Admiral Fallow, a sextet from Glasgow that I’ve just been introduced to. This band couples winsomely intelligent, sharply evocative lyrics with ambling orchestral builds — starring both clarinets and foot-stomping in equal measure.
There is an immediately warm similarity to countrymates Frightened Rabbit, and in fact the two will be sharing the stage on several dates this spring. The Admiral Fallow debut album Boots Met My Face will be re-released in March 2011. It’s spun together both fine and real.
Squealing Pigs – Admiral Fallow
You’ll probably be singing along with that song after two or three listens, like I was. You can stream the whole album on Bandcamp; I am particularly captivated by their songs “Subbuteo,” and “Taste The Coast,” — even though the latter may have been written about a cold northern sea five thousand miles from my home near the coast of California, I feel the same way they do about the salty air. The clever simile-lover and poetry-reader in me also stopped short over the song “Dead Against Smoking,” in which a woman with skin the color of a violet golden sky, and inspires this striking chorus:
You’re like gasoline.
You’re like the willow tree.
You’re like a split screen.
But you’re the green in me.
I’m a sucker.
Second item of note: Admiral Fallow frontman Louis Abbott (below in the stripes) recently took part in this rad mini-movement in Glasgow where the city’s finest folk musicians do “wee jaunts,” playing a number of short shows en masse in completely unlikely places, like restrooms, subways, and stairwells. This made me laugh in utter delight; they sound so joyous covering Bon Iver, with their voices reverberating all around them.
I’m on my seventh eighteenth time watching it.
For Emma (Bon Iver) – Admiral Fallow & Blochestra
Name: Heather Browne
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Tweets that mention watch the circles take you home | Fuel/Friends Music Blog -- Topsy.com — December 18, 2010 @ 12:22 am
Howdy Heather,
I would have to agree with you. “Subbuteo” is my favourite track off the Admiral Fallow album, although “old Balloons” is also highly rated. Glad to see you like these guys and thanks for the video link, it is great.
davros — December 18, 2010 @ 5:56 am
Been listening to Admiral Fallow most of the year. Really taken by them. Check out Kid Canaveral.
There’s a very impressive scene happening in Glasgow. Hope to head over in April and see some of it for myself.
Ed P. — December 18, 2010 @ 1:39 pm
Woot! thanks Heather,Frightened Rabbit are awesome and so are these guys!
Harb — December 18, 2010 @ 2:04 pm
Amazing video! Thank you for posting it, now I’m sharing it with my other music-loving friends!
Barbara — December 19, 2010 @ 12:42 am
Saw them live last month supporting Frightened Rabbit they were awesome!I love that chorus!
Thanks for introducing me to that video, so good!
Naomi — December 19, 2010 @ 4:54 am
Great stuff, Heather. The Admiral Fallow record is one of my favorites of the year.
This video of half of Admiral Fallow playing “You Can Call Me Al” with a thick Scottish brogue in a small pub in Ullapool is also good fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rId72rByPlU
Brian — December 20, 2010 @ 10:30 am
No, Heather, you’re a sucker for an ACCENT!
Shut-the-folk-up — December 21, 2010 @ 5:04 am
well, yes. that too.
browneheather — December 21, 2010 @ 10:00 am