Rating:   23 Ratings     12345  

Amusement Parks on Fire Amusement Parks on Fire Reincarnate Music/Filter

      Amusement Parks on Fire have released their self-titled debut (Filter, 2005) with a striking essence of deliberate ethereal escapades and jaunting, charred jams.

      The Nottingham, England foursome is: Michael Feerick (guitar/vocals), Daniel Knowles (guitar), Jez Cox (bass) and Peter Dale (drums).

      In opener "23 Jewels," you can escape into the buzz of quiet cathedral music, and then a forthcoming buzz effect which joins with somber violins of a melancholy Sigur Ros lull. Pale indistinctions of this crocheted lullaby are of the utmost tranquility.

      But in tracks like "Venus In Cancer" -- upbeat with its knock-around drums to formulate towards The Stone Roses -- there are beautiful hook drags with a Cure reverb. It’s like taking Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s drafty singles and purifying them a bit.

      The album is inconsistent with its layout, as one track can obtain a calm presentation, and then next will be pushing you upright. The tracklisting does make for a nice mix-up, though.

      Admire tracks like Doves-y "Local Boy Makes God" and "Wiper," which takes two and a half minutes before anyone sings only to fade out again. Then it’ll surprise you with a smash of the drums and guitars, looped lyrics, and then a piano solo and another fade-out, topping out to over seven minutes.

      These are tracks to fill the air, and the band’s name seems to coincide with their music: something so natural as the amusement park, but at times with an awry edge to kick in some action-packed tempo.

-Arie Musil 06/07/05