The
alternative to the alternative Brooklyn- band Friends released their
appropriately named debut album Manifest! last June. After a long period of catching
shows across Europe and America, fans finally get the chance to be able to sing
along to songs other than the already timeless hits “I’m His Girl” and “Friend Crush”. On top of that, if you order directly through
Rough Trade you can hear the brilliant cover of Ghost Town DJ’s “My Boo”, found
on the exclusive bonus disc.
Some think
that debut albums are definitive due to artists having control of production,
rather than record labels breathing down their necks... Friends’ multi-instrumentalist
Nikki Shapiro weighs in, saying that “debut albums usually are the best,
because it’s like the honey moon period of a band. Everything is fresh and
exciting”.
As it is
exciting for bands to experience something new, so it is for fans to wait and
hear how everything turns out on home stereos. My belief is that the best
albums aren’t the best because they’re comprised of the most amazing tracks,
but because the tracks work together, creating a whole. I had high expectations of Manifest!, but
somehow the first few spins didn’t knock me out. Embarrassingly, I felt
disappointed for feeling disappointment.
When asked
about his general thoughts of the overall recording process, Shapiro thinks
Manifest! would have been “way better” if it was recorded in the first couple
of months, but they were too busy touring. He further explains “it was
definitely over-thought but I think it came out ok. Recording should document a special moment in
time. The best recording captures a genuine mood or vibe. It's not easy to do.
Over-thinking things take you out of the moment. Dancing is a perfect example
of that.”
Is it also over-thought
or even over- expected in the minds
of the fans? Maybe. What I found to be
disturbing is that even though Friends are known for mixing genres, there are
drastic jumps from style to style between the songs. At first I heard some
lovely feel-good pop, and then suddenly forced angst-disco. This is the bump on
an otherwise smooth ride.
Of course albums
that don’t hit me immediately have the potential to grow (in most cases!), and
become favorites in the long run, opposed to those which I love right away, but
then get bored easily with. Since the
first impressions, Manifest! has definitely grown on me, but weirdly enough
it’s happened when the music is turned off. There’s something about singer
Samantha Urbani’s lyric writing that creeps into your mind in its all
simplicity and straight-forwardness during those hours when you’re alone with
only your thoughts. I’m sure everyone
can relate partly to what she’s singing about, and if not, then at least learn
something about themselves. For example
the album’s last song “Mind Control” can easily be considered an anthem for
today’s liberals. Just listen to the track below to hear why.
2012 has
been an amazing music year so far, and I have the feeling it will get even
better with so many anticipated albums set to be released. Only time will tell
if Manifest! reaches the very top of my list. Either way, it’s admirable how
Friends have gained success in such a short time. Having read this article about
why 99% of indie acts don’t get signed, I just had to ask Shapiro what he
believed the key factor to Friends’ success was. In his own words:
Pure luck. I mean
that. There are so many great bands out there that no one knows about. Also,
success is subjective. Money and fame should never be the goal. That stuff is
just a byproduct of making good work or sometimes bad work. Sometimes
recognition too soon can stifle the natural progression of an artist. Don't
ever believe the hype, kiddies. It's a killer. Just make killer art for
yourself first.
Until the
next time Friends releases something new, hold
holy only what you want.
many thanks to nikki shapiro for sharing his honest thoughts. and time.
