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fleeing new york fleeingnewyork
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by Gareth Dobson
  • Type: Album
  • Release date: 15/11/2004
With bands like Dead! Dead! Dead! and lesser luminaries such the Bees and Delays, the South Coast and in particular Southampton, is dredging up all manner of musical object d'interest. The latest fledgling spectacles are young trio Fleeingnewyork.

Released on small management label Stuck Up Music, the eight track mini album is a portent of potentially grand things to come.

Opener 'Monkey' sets the scene; edgy, sparse riffing with doomy male/female vocals uttering the lines "monkey see, monkey do / archaeology will catch up with you". Not sure what it means, but by the time it explodes into Siamese Dream guitar overload, it wins you over without a second thought. Debut single 'Hollywood Bowl' sounds like a vampish Joan Jett taking on a spooked QOTSA by way of the Monster Mash. While this may sound like a dreadful concoction (or merely analogy), it goes someway to fail to pin down the eerie qualities that make 'AOK' the debut mini album that it is.

Throughout, bassist Emma Richardson's vocals are a sweet counterpoint to Russell Marsden's daggered croon, and it's this point-counterpoint that drags you seedily throughout FNY's world. Typical of this is 'Scandinavia'; one of the three tracks that made up the band's single debut and all appear on 'AOK' it's the mightiest of the eight tracks here, with a keening Josh Homme-esque guitar opening and Richardson belting out her love of cold climbs, before it subsides to a snowflake-delicate Delgados-esque ending.

Central to the record is a 50's B Movie quality that keeps thing walking the line between dark and light perfectly. Think Raveonettes but without the lapse in song quality control that makes their records sound twice too long, despite generally being half the size of others. Through the darkness appear beautiful rays of melody and sweet, sweet harmonies. Perfect example being 'AOK' which mixes icy openings with a driving bubblegum centre complete with seductive "whoo-ooos".

The appeal of the record and the band is hard to define; perhaps the gang mentality the record exudes, possibly the sense of a band living in their own contrived world set adrift from anything else. Regardless, it's a record that draws you in in such a way that you can't let go, and that's something indeed. Highly recommended, as they say in the Guardian singles review section.

  • Fleeing New York 8 / 10
Words: Gareth Dobson

Fleeing New York - AOK

Nice one Gareth, this abum's fast becoming one of the best releases of the year, methinks. And 'Scandinavia' is indeed the mightiest. Whooo-ooo.

Re: Fleeing New York - AOK

wooo! seconded.

Re: Fleeing New York - AOK

You can come see them at The palace, Bridgwater, Somerset Thursday 25th. Also playing Stephensons Rocket and Koala Attack and all for £3

Fleeing New York - AOK

Fucking brilliant debut. I love it more with every listen. Now come on people - buy it!

Fleeing New York - AOK

Thought it was a bit rubbish myself but each to their own.

Re: Fleeing New York - AOK

I saw these guys in Southampton quite a few times.
Never rated them that highly.
They changed their name for a while, too, after that whole 9/11 thing.
Then changed it back.
SO ROCK N ROLL.
Bah.
DJ Hammy is the shit.

Re: Fleeing New York - AOK

Hammy rules. I'm honoured to be able to DJ in the same club as him once a month. You should check out the LP Mike - you'll be pleasantly surprised. Dead! Dead! Dead! are another Southampton band to watch out for right now - although I have to admit I'm slightly obessed and/or biased...

Re: Fleeing New York - AOK

I meant to see Dead Dead Dead when they played the Marquee. I watched 'em, but didn't say hi to Matt, who I was at college with. Ah well, next time.

Re: Fleeing New York - AOK

Yes next time. I believe they up your way again in January...

Fleeing New York - AOK

theres something missing from this band to make them truely brilliant but i cant put my finger on it. it just seems so average to me but as adie says each to their own.

Fleeing New York - AOK

I was in the same class as the drummer at school. He was a really cool guy.

Good to see these guys on the way up - seen them once at the Heads and they were good. Can only agree about the Dead! as well - could Southampton finally be getting a sliver of credibility?

Fleeing New York - AOK

Label releasing?

Re: Fleeing New York - AOK

It's on their own Stuck Up Music label, if that's what you wanna know.

Fleeing New York - AOK

I bought this album this weekend, purely on this review.
I think it's ace.
The end.

Re: Fleeing New York - AOK

i bought it too thanks to the review and ive gotta say its fookin cool. 'scandinavia' is currently distracting me from working a hell of a lot.
O




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