In times before the Internet, it was so easy to miss a good band. You simply could not have heard of them, particularly if they went the independent way. In these modern electronic, times that is even easier. There is such an abundance of sources to hear good (and even more so, bad) music, that a good band like Farewell Milwaukee could be easily missed. Since “FM’, their new album is the fourth that they have made, I obviously did miss them. Until now. But their name has just been written down in that “To Remember” book.
Since I have not (yet) heard the previous three, the FM album epitomizes everything that there is to like about this more poppy, harmony and strings-laden version of Americana. Baroque pop Americana if you will. Farewell Milwaukee, who as it might be are from Minneapolis. They do come up with something of a Jayhawks version of mid-period The Byrds, with that Midwest touch that is so exemplified by “A Little More Haven Hamilton, Please”, sadly just one album by Todd Fletcher’s “June and The Exit Wounds”. To put it briefly, a West Coast sound with an Americana touch.
And it works. Take the numbers lie “Poison Rain”, Diamonds” or “Recluse”. You have the laid back musicianship backed by great string arrangements and harmonies (the first two), or a harmony filled ballad interspersed with pedal steel runs (the latter).
What also works is the fact that the lyrics on the album are not just an afterthought and fit into the detailed arrangements like a glove. Basically, there is not one track here that is sub-par or that you could call a filler.
Time to spin this album one more time, try to check the previous three, and underline their name in that “To Remember” book. Definitely, a band to watch.
