Fireglow: "Modern Life"

Take a trip to the other side of the world in your mind and on your calendar and you will find without a doubt the happiest dark song you will ever come across. Based out of Sydney, Australia comes a band that is full of fun for the whole family. Maybe though, you don't want the kiddos to listen to hard to the music. "Modern Life" is a happy-go-lucky song that starts of singing about the oily water with bricks and glass. It's the kind of song that draws the listener in, gets bobbing their head and then... "WHAT!"

All that said I really like the song. It has an upbeat groove and style that is indicative of what you might hear during the montage of a Brady Bunch episode. The sing song nature as well as the infectious groove will have you humming this in your head well after the song is over. I really like the percussion work on this track. It holds the groove well and has a number of tasteful fills that give the song the right balance and spice that it needs. The band overall has the 60s - 70s retro music style down cold. I can't think of anyone off the top of my head that nails it so well. The guitar work at hand  has that indelible clean tone that makes you want to put on your favorite sneakers and smile while skipping in the grocery store. I even found myself wanting to air guitar a few times while listening. The bass guitar is in the pocket (though I would have liked it a bit more prominent in places). The tone is spot on with a bounce and growl that makes you want to shake your hips and howl at the moon.

Keyboard work it on spot as well. With a groovy organ tone you want to look for your bell bottoms and put on some rose colored sunglasses. Piano sounds cascade in the right places make you want to drop the top and sing along at the top of your lungs. What I find most delicious and prominent in this song is the vocal harmonies dominating in the chorus. That's the million dollar hook that propels this song into short term memory replay part of your brain. The vocal textures are fun and bounce through the ears that make it nearly impossible to frown despite the gloomy lyrical subject. Mix and production are really pretty good. This isn't some group of hacks in their garage recording with their thumbs with everything cranked to 11. 

If you're in the mood for something different, like retro-rock or want something that will put an extra kick in your step then check out Fireglow and their track "Modern Life". Just make sure that you aren't in a room with low ceilings you may find yourself bopping your head and getting a concussion. Other side affects include: swaying hips, an unending smile and a fear of postmodern industrialism. 

Michael Smith