The LA scene has brought us Funeral Party, a five-piece alternative rock band from Whittier named after a song of the same name by the Cure. Known for their “danceable art punk” sound, the band capped off a successful UK tour in 2010 and will be starting 2011 off right by dropping their debut album The Golden Age of Knowhere to a throng of eager fans on March 29th.
Here’s what I love about Funeral Party—they’re energetic, unpredictable, and they give us full-throttle 100% of the time. They tend to deliver songs that are catchy and fun but without getting too poppy, and their live act is nothing short of exciting. When you take a listen to this album, you’re immediately hit with an in-your-face punk rock sound infused with killer rock-style dance beats. Chad Elliot’s vocals are bright and raw, cutting through the mix of every song with just the right amount of power and emotion. This is well supported by the intricate, fast-paced drums/percussion combo by Tim Madrid and Danny Kid, and James Torres’ fast-chugging guitar riffs. Put it all together, and these boys keep us movin’ and groovin’ from start to finish.
The album gives us a few great tracks—“New York City Moves to the Sound of L.A.” is an edge-of-your-seat intro that epitomizes Funeral Party’s punkified boogie sound. One of my favorite parts is the sing-along breakdown when they chant, “New York City loves to mess around with the L.A. sound,” which is definitely meant for crowd participation. The second track, “Car Wars,” is a fun and groovy number with a kick-ass bass lick and an offbeat rock feel. The vocals here are catchy, and Torres tears it up on guitar with a well-placed wah wah pedal toward the end. “Finale” is the single that is getting a lot of attention right now in this scene—and for good reason. It’s a very high-energy song with simple but effective guitar and key riffs, vocal melody, and everybody’s favorite punk-style sing-along before the last chorus.
Sadly, if you’re considering this album as a whole package then it does start to lose its wind after the first few tracks. I found myself forgetting which song I was actually listening to because they seemed to start blending together. I think you can only do so many dance-punk songs with the same top-of-your-range vocals, fast rock beats, and trebly riffs before it starts to sound very similar. All in all though, if you are into Indie or dance-punk music, you can’t go all that wrong with Funeral Party’s The Golden Age of Knowhere—definitely a fun and lively set. But album side, it’s pretty clear that a live show with these guys is going to be more than just about the music . . . get yourself down in front and you’ll be a happy little rock fan dancing the night way.
You can purchase this album at the iTunes store.
The Golden Age of Knowhere Tracklisting:
- New York City Moves to the Sound of L.A.
- Car Wars
- Finale
- Where Did it Go Wrong
- Just Because
- Postcards of Persuasion
- Giant Song
- City in Silhouettes
- Relics to Ruins
- The Golden Age of Nowhere
For more information on Funeral Party, visit their cleverly designed website:
Really like this band! can’t wait for the album to come out 3/29!