Broken Fires released their debut album, “Silhouettes,” and we are fans. There isn’t a weak link among the eleven songs, but of course we have our favorites. This band from Wales (Swansea) self-identifies the music as Folk Rock of “simple alternative Pop songs with big melodies.” Indie Obsessive clearly recognizes the Rock and Pop elements and is particularly fond of the “big melodies” component in the band’s sound. The Folk element is less apparent, although it surfaces in selected songs.
Bands will sometimes talk about their difficulty in selecting the order of tracks on an album. In “Silhouettes,” strong arguments can be made for and against positioning “Flesh & Blood” after “Brick.Mortar.Stone.” Melodically, the two songs have much in common, which can lead a listener to wrongly conclude that the album lacks diversity. On the other hand, the individual tracks include transitions that show the flexibility of Broken Fires, so the melodic flow in positioning “Brick.Mortar.Stone” adjacent to “Flesh & Blood” will be appreciated after a listener becomes more familiar with the album.
An unmistakable sign that an album is “solid” is when selecting a track to feature seems easy while listening to one candidate track, but changes when the next candidate starts. The first four songs of “Silhouettes” are deserving of a feature, as is “Vessels.” We picked “Brick.Mortar.Stone” only because it contains the greatest number of features we appreciate.
“Brick.Mortar.Stone” is an anthem. The lyrics include “And he said ‘No, this is my home, every brick I have made my own.’” The song starts unassumingly and finishes with force. There are a number of energy transitions, with our favorite starting at the 2:01 mark as a kick drum and a chant of what “he said” take us from a quiet statement to a shouted conviction.
Broken Fires often uses seemingly anguished backing vocals. In “Brick.Mortar.Stone,” the first occurrence begins at 1:18. The anguish is again felt at 2:34, but within the lead vocals. It is very effective. Add the sounds of horns and strings, and the result is a song that will not lose its attractiveness after repeated plays.
The core members of Broken Fires are Tom Stephens, Gareth Carter and Justin Hendy. The Facebook picture shows six individuals. We don’t know the names of the other three, but based on information from their Bandcamp uploads, contributors are Angharad Jenkins, Dai Francis, Chris Seacombe, Adam Terry and Sam Loring.
“Brick.Mortar.Stone”
“Flesh & Blood”
“Out of the Woods”
Facebook: www.facebook.com/brokenfires
Website: www.brokenfires.com
“Silhouettes” - Digipack CD
1. Elephants
2. Brick.Mortar.Stone
3. Flesh & Blood
4. Out of the Woods
5. Brand New Start
6. Broken Bones
7. Our House (cover - written by Graham Nash)
8. Charming
9. Vessels
10. Family Ties
11. This Place Is Dead Anyway
FLESH
& BLOOD - Lyrics
by Broken
Fires
Sometimes
he can be strong,
Robust
roadways of oxygen, there's strength within.
He should
stand up tall.
Like the
pillars of a hotel or a sequin dress in a formal hall.
He can
hardly wait.
To get
his teeth deep into you, or just talk a bit,
A deft
seductive touch.
Or the
clumsy hand of a working man,
Just
enough to put you off.
What are
we then?
But bone
and skin.
What are
we then? When the words come out but they make no sense?
Still we
need some flesh and blood to hold.
He needs
her in the dark,
Skin so
soft it reverses days and it eases him.
Conceal
that rush of blood.
Stay cold
on the outside. Sweatless, calm an attractive act.
Her body
near. Shadows and darkness cover him.
And from
her mouth these words, just enough to put you off.
What are
we then?
But bone
and skin.
What are
we then? When the words come out but they make no sense?
Still we
need some flesh and blood to hold.
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