[mp3] Introducing // Emanuel and The Fear

Pop musicians are often faced with what we can call “the kitchen sink dilemma.” The essential question is “how much crazy crap am I gonna throw at this?”

There are of course many different approaches. Popstars of the 80s were incredibly prone to terrifyingly flamboyant and outrageous levels of musical and visual indulgence. Obviously, this is best represented today by the ever present Lady GaGa and her persona as some kind of omniscient, nuclear peacock goddess from outer space.

Plenty of pop musicians opt for restraint however. The Smiths were created pretty much in direct opposition to the grandiosity of 80s pop music. Current artists like James Blake thrive on minimalism and the spaces between the notes, rather than the press conferences, outfits and music videos after them.

I love the two latter artists, but the band I’m introducing today are definitely of the former category. New York’s Emanuel and The Fear are a perfect example of kooky, eclectically influenced weirdo-pop music, without a care in the world for appearing dour or ordinary.

All the signs are there. The band boasts 11 members, and a vast array of instruments – a couple of violins, a flute, a trombone, trumpet, cello, synths, drums, bass, guitars and numerous vocalists. The ragtag collective is led by their afro wielding front man Emanuel Ayvas, and he’s lead them into a barmy, off-kilter musical landscape. Imagine a gargantuan gladiatorial coliseum of death, where Ben Folds battles against Radiohead with a small, portable grand piano, whilst in the distance Sergei Rachmaninoff rises triumphantly yet terrifyingly from the grave and grabs Daft Punk by their ankles, impervious to their neon French laser beams. Belle & Sebastian tremble quietly behind their cellos in a hidden corner of the arena. Then, in the midst of the chaos, Led Zeppelin descend like lighting  bolts from the top of Olympus, wrestling the flaming spectres of ELO down from the heavens, whilst riding dragons. Big ones.

Basically, it’s all going on. The only thing resembling simplicity has been the titles of their records – an eponymous debut EP, last year’s debut album Listen, and their brand new EP Hands.

I think it’s safe to say that these guys are going to be a love-it-or-hate-it experience for anyone who listens. To some, they might just sound like jumped up musical theatre geeks who listened to one too many Dexy’s Midnight Runners albums. Others will just love the sheer bizarre kookiness of the whole thing. Despite the eclecticism, their are plenty of soothing elements to the band’s vast array of sounds, not least of all Emanuel Ayvas’ voice, which strongly recalls the aforementioned Ben Folds, as well as Jens Lekman.

Their new EP Hands is available now on their bandcamp, in physical format or download, but for now you can download the track “Dear Friend” from their 2010 debut Listen. These guys are one of the first bands in a while to make me think “well I haven’t heard THAT before.” I’ll let you decide whether that’s a good or a bad thing.

Connect with Emanuel and The Fear // Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp | web

Emanuel and The Fear // Dear Friend [mp3] from Listen

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