The Oshkosh West Index - Breakthrough band escapes birdcage of musical mediocrity

Volume 106, Issue 1

Online Features

Breakthrough band escapes birdcage of musical mediocrity

By Steven Schauz
posted September 26, 2009

Breaking onto the music scene with their 2007 album One Cell in the Sea, A Fine Frenzy was noticed by critics for their haunting sound and heartfelt, whimsical lyrics written by lead singer, Alison Sudol, who was hailed as one of the most beautiful new voices on the market. Two years later, A Fine Frenzy has dropped their sophomore album, A Bomb in a Birdcage. With an unconventional and unexpected new style, Bomb in a Birdcage proves to be a phenomenal follow-up to the little band's big legacy.

During the two years separating One Cell in the Sea and their newest project, the band toured with such headliners as Rufus Wainwright (Hallelujah) and Brandi Carlile (The Story). Sudol was deeply affected by her time spent on the road, and because of this, A Fine Frenzy have evolved.

Experiences with a variety of new musical genres widened Sudol's field of songwriting, prompting her to decide to expose her listeners to another side of her personality. If One Cell in the Sea painted a picture of a shy, timid, emotional young woman, Sudol takes an opportunity to show off the wilder side of herself to fans in the band's latest studio production.

Exploring a fresh new style and mastering it in much the same way they did the folk-inspired sound of One Cell in the Sea, A Fine Frenzy infuses a more polished production quality to their recording than was heard on their first album.

Opening with the track "What I Wouldn't Do," the change is subtle, yet still apparent. Sudol's whimsical lyrics continue, but with a bubbly and far more joyful sound. Tracks three and ten stick out as being most unexpected and will surely surprise audiences.

The song entitled "Electric Twist" redefines A Fine Frenzy's place in music. A new-age dance anthem with all the hard guitar riffs, enthusiastic piano pounding, and outrageous drum beats characteristic of a modern punk-folk band, "Electric Twist" brings something unanticipated, leaving fans wanting more of this new sound that the band has created.

A Fine Frenzy then provides the clamorous, yet captivating "Stood Up." Sudol credits this song as being the "most unruly" thing she has ever written, introducing "enormous giant guitars and raucous drums" to the band's already impressive résumé.

However, Bomb in a Birdcage does not completely shy away from the traditions of its counterpart. The new album still features songs that possess a chilling sense of loss and heartfelt desire within their lyrics and music. Tracks like "Happier," "Swan Song," "Bird of the Summer" and "The Beacon" will remind fans of A Fine Frenzy of old. "Swan Song" and "The Beacon" both entail a story of hope and loss with the same slow melodies most apparent on One Cell in the Sea.

There are also paradoxical songs like "Bird of Summer," which combines A Fine Frenzy's past and present. At first "Bird of Summer" seems to be a joyous song with a fresh, gleeful style, yet under closer examination, the lyrics are revealed to be depressing and tearful, opening a melancoly journey of the heart. This particular song is a metaphor which compares a short affair to a migratory bird, in the tradition of their previous hit, "Almost Lover."

Catching a break into the music industry with their simple and haunting style, A Fine Frenzy continues to surprise and enchant listeners with their slightly unconventional ways. The band takes many chances with their sophomore release, incorporating a new musical style and a far more refined and polished sound, as well as lyrics which in some cases differ from the band's unique brand of successfully expressing sincere emotion. Yet, A Fine Frenzy does not stray away from the style and themes they know best, capturing raw emotions with meaningful melodies in a beautifully executed balancing act of their new and old sounds. With sizable expectations to live up to after the success of One Cell in the Sea, Bomb in a Birdcage does not disappoint.

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