CD: “Songs On Postcards” by Fearne

After a successful Pledge music campaign Dorset Music Award winners in 2011 Fearne have finally released their “difficult” third album “Songs On Postcards”. The album has taken longer than originally expected as all great albums usually do, after lots of unexpected twist and turns along the way.

Lead singer/songwriter Alex Beds says the album is painfully honest and gone are the days of the love song. Fearne sing about heartbreak and struggle, direct debits and house fires and do it all with an optimism and energy that strips back a lot of the boundaries associated with the folk genre. The album was recorded at Conversion studios in Dorset with the help of former band member Sam Stone with extra musicians Rob “Guns” Boivin and Lee Cuff adding their expertise to the sound. A group of Fearne’s loyalist fans were asked to join in on the big group backing vocals on songs “Colour Faded Back to Grey”, “Flu Like Symptoms”, and “Dote on You”. The album was mastered top engineer Pete Maher who has worked previously with big names like U2 and Damien Rice. The watercolour painting used on the album’s front cover was designed for the band by former Devils Music promoter Trevor Hill and the album itself was created by the long time friend of the band David Baker.

The song writing features a very personal social and domestic commentary giving the listener every opportunity to associate and sympathise with the subject matters taken on within the songs. Though the subjects are not all positive the simple but effective arrangements of the songs makes them a uplifting turning the negatives in to positives within the power of their music. Fearne’s success in the past have made I’m sure this album much more difficult to make as expectations from their fans and critics alike are very high. The previously successful formula is still there with all four guys resurrecting the “Fearne” sound that everyone knows. They have also brought into this new elements such as harp, accordion, and cello to make things more interesting and give more depth to the sound. This is not an album you are going to listen to and love the first moment you hear it, it is a record that will grow with each listen, the lyrics, the arrangements have a lasting quality about them.

It is obvious that Fearne have worked very hard making this album, having bared their soul and revealed some their most intimate moments, while keeping all of their dignity. If things in life were fair by now they should been touring the world entertaining thousands instead of hundreds, just hopefully the right person will hear this and take theses chaps on a well deserved journey to fame and fortune.

Get the album here:
http://open.spotify.com/album/5myWQayXhn2mzyHhhU0xmn
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/songs-on-postcards/id646216952

Line Up
Alex Beds – Acoustic Guitar, Vox
Adam Pulfer – Electric Guitar, Vox, Harps, Keys
Nick Bryson – Bass, Vox, Mandolin, Accordian
Darren Barrett – Drums

With…
Rob ” Guns” Boivin – Tenor Guitar, Bass , Ukulele, Bell Ringing
Lee Cuff – Cello

Track-Listing
Colour Faded Back To Grey
Flu Like Symptoms
Sea Of Bills
These Games
La Ferre
Master Craftsman
Dote On You
Postcards
Bow
Float Your Boat
About Her

Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfvnRz-k46Q

Band Links
http://www.facebook.com/fearnemusic
http://www.youtube.com/fearnemusic

Review By Dave Chinery(Chinners)