Search - Faris Nourallah :: I Love Faris

...Review - More contemporary than retro

junkmedia | Los Angeles, CA | 06/01/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Discovering the music of Faris Nourallah is like encountering a parallel universe where the language is mostly the same, the dress slightly odd, but all is otherwise completely intact. In this parallel universe, Nourallah flaunts his lace sleeves and drinks good sherry at the salons and soirees of swinging London.But in our universe, Nourallah records music in his home and probably does little else. His primary mode of expression is the synthesizer, and like many of the best indie rock songwriters, he is influenced by the Beatles and Kinks. Like the Magnetic Fields' Stephen Merritt, Nourallah is more contemporary than retro. And with no band to please, he is free to mix things as he chooses and to not rock. With no retro-proscribed analog-only sensibilities to offend, his artificial choirs and unrealistic pianos even embrace comparison to '80s TV soundtrack king Mike Post (Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law).On I Love Faris, Nourallah engages in self-negating satire, as in the calypso-skiffle of "I Like To Go To Parties," in which he sings, "I like to go to parties almost anytime / You can act like a llama in a field with your hair grown long." Other times, morality tales are a vehicle for his intimate critique. In "Denial" he sings: "I believe in everything you say even though the signs point the wrong way." Strong lyrical and musical concepts are also found in cautionary critiques like "Christian Flyer" and "Let's Get Married." The latter track illustrates the dynamics of Nourallah's style, as a gentle bossanova intro transforms into a rococo orgy of vocal horns and synthetic harpsichords not too distant from Switched On Bach) territory.Nourallah has said "I feel that lyrics are not necessary for my songs since you can clearly understand what I'm saying, and my lyrics tend to be simple and to the point." Complete with his understated lyrical gifts, Nourallah's songs boast the entire package. He is not just wry, or stylish, but he is capable also of tenderness. If Nourallah's were the same parallel universe occupied by Stephen Merritt, he would most definitely play Ray Davies to Merritt's more orchestral Phil Spector -- simultaneously lamenting and laughing at humanity from the safe distance of one who critically observes life.Jonathan Donaldson..."