If the British Friendly Fires were a Canadian band, they’d be from
Montreal and they’d be out all night dancing on Ste-Catherine. Bringing
to mind the electro-pop of acts like Hexes and Ohs, the Friendly Fires
are warm and sparkly. Their debut self-titled album is a mostly dancey
affair but you can hear some nerdy indie kids with glasses behind those
synthesizers. But while the sounds and lyrics on tracks like “Paris”
and “White Diamonds” feel innovative, others seem more of a throwback
to ’90s dance music.
The sound can get repetitive, but there’s plenty of energy here and
the potential for a sound less like a dance-club PA.
This article appears in Jan 29 – Feb 4, 2009.