Friends of Fire
Categorized Ramblings and Other Debris
Total Riot Records
On their second album, Categorized Ramblings and Other Debris, New Orleans’ grown Friends of Fire deliver an eclectic compilation of tracks ranging from upbeat pop-punk to postgrunge rock. The first few songs bear a subtle resemblance to the work of contemporary rock bands like The Strokes, but with a twist of electronic synthesizing arrangements. The album eventually progresses into a more serious sound, reminiscent the late ‘90s alt-rock.
“Ur So Crzy,” “Stop Trippin” and “Please, Don’t Be That Way” set the tone for the album while songs like “Do What I Want” and “Overrated” offer a transition into a more poppunk style sound. The drums kick in big time in “Survivors of a Disintegrated Solar System” and “Groove” providing the crucial pitch to a well-balanced set of work. The track “January 4, 2007” sounds a lot like something Trent Reznor would compose for a David Fincher film. The band, which has been around since ’05, also decided to bring back from its first album a new and improved remix of “Coffee,” a catchy and upbeat melody with a not-somerry theme, reminiscent of the ‘80s works like Unsatisfied by The Replacements. With Ramblings, Friends of Fire joins an emerging group of local indie bands bringing a fresh new take on the rock genre to our city.
