Fiancé
please, ambitious, please
www.myspace.com/FianceMusic

Comparing the four-member Denver pop/indie band Fiancé to other contemporary music-makers would seem to be a little unfair. As this critic has clearly stated his opinion on most of the popular music scene (it sucks), you should think that few others would dare such astute criticism. But somehow these guys still manage to pull off a mighty fine Pop album (holy crap, who wrote that!?).

Their cover art is pretentious, that “Thirdster” photo of them (“Thirdster”: wishy-washy thirty-something guys who dress like they’re still twenty-year old hipsters. See also under “The Architects”. All Rights Pending 2008.) in the back of an old car is annoying, and the music…well, damn.

The music turns out to be both intoxicating and surprisingly mature, blending Ben Folds Five with the likes of And You Will Know Us by the Trail of the Dead (which happens to be one of the best bands to come along in several years — their live show will quite simply blow your head off).

And guess what: they do it with just five songs! You can’t release an album with just five songs…can you? Well, if they should have waited for more, we’ll never know…but songs like the lead off “Super-soft Knife” and the beautiful and eerie “Quiet Things” should not have to wait for others.

The group (Patrick McGuire with piano and vocals, Michael James on guitar and vocals, Tyler Reschke on bass and Chris Sturniolo on the Skins) has some lyrics that at times become positively Ferlinghettian. Take this line from “Twenty-something”:

I am sweating bullets in the shade,
I’m drinking whisky on the morning of your wedding day,
I think I’m weightless now
so I’m gonna sing Hallelujah the ship is going down

At a time when most pop music is spun from a rather threadbare and worn plot, Fiancé has woven a fantastic tapestry of music: please, ambitious, please is simply one of the best pop albums this year that you won’t hear on Top-40 radio, bar none. Luckily for KC, they make their way to The Brick June 19 — call for times, no marriage required. —Brandon Whitehead (posted 05/02/08)

Brandon Whitehead can be contacted at kinginyellow@juno.com.

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