O Fracas - Fits And Starts (CD 2008)

I wasn’t sure 2008 could top last year for music releases, but it’s off to a great start with some incredible albums firmly under its belt, and it’s only May.

Now we have O Fracas to join the likes of Portishead, Lykke Li and Midnight Juggernauts in making 2008 a vintage year for superb albums. Hailing from Leeds, this four piece tread a different path to fellow Yorkshire big hitters Kaiser Chiefs and The Pigeon Detectives. Instead of the now familiar indie-pop, O Fracas give us something different, and ultimately much more satisfying.

Fits and starts is probably the best way to describe “Fits and Starts”, the guitars battle each other in staccato bursts, but they always have a strong melody that keeps you listening. “Fact Finding” with its ADHD rhythms and “Follow Sue” has a huge urgency about it that recalls Toyko Police Club at their best. They also do the quieter moments well, on “You can Hear The World From Menwith Hill” they reveal a less hectic side; but it doesn’t last long.
The whole album has an understated production to it, and I love the lo-fi feel. I hate it when you listen to an album and you know it’s been worked on and tweaked for months getting the sound “perfect”, and just comes away feeling like a product with no soul.

I’ve not had the album long, but it already has cemented itself in my collection, and I hope 2008 will be a good year for them. They certainly have the songs to make them a huge success, and can’t wait to hear more. Judging by this debut, there are big things coming for O Fracas.