| 1. We Are |
| 2. Javelina |
| 3. Cutting My Hair |
| 4. Full Turn |
| 5. Apple Sugar Cider |
| 6. Flagstaff |
| 7. Tip of the Iceberg |
| 8. Styrofoam Walls |
| 9. Fly on the Wall |
| 10. Butterfly Clock |
Facing New York,Facing New York,Five One Inc,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop
Facing New York
Average customer rating: 
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Facing New York
Facing New York Manufacturer: Five One Inc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
Emo
| Hardcore & Punk
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
Indie Rock
| Indie & Lo-Fi
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
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ASIN: B000AGTQFO Release Date: 2005-08-30 |
Tracks:
- We Are
- Javelina
- Cutting My Hair
- Full Turn
- Apple Sugar Cider
- Flagstaff
- Tip of the Iceberg
- Styrofoam Walls
- Fly on the Wall
- Butterfly Clock
Customer Reviews:
This band needs to be heard........2006-05-22
On their debut album, Facing New York create an interesting fusion of progressive and indie rock. Their sound is driven in equal parts by intricate yet hard hitting drums, jazz/prog/fusion-inspired keyboards, and driving guitars and bass.
The band formed in 2004 after the breakup of Pinole, California band Locale AM. Vocalist/guitarist Eric Frederic and keyboardist Rene Carranza then joined drummer Omar Cuellar, bassist Brandon Canchola, and guitarist Matt Fazzi. Facing New York sounds to some extent like the logical continuation of Locale's Characters EP, which was that band at their most unconventional and progressive. While sometimes retaining certain elements of Locale's style, namely the prominence of the keyboards and the occasional Beatles-esque vocal melodies, the first few tracks immediately let us know that Facing New York is an entirely different band. Gone are the lighthearted lyrics about girls named Kelly and Mary and tounge-in-cheek sing-along jingles denying being from the ghetto. The immediate saccharine tunefulness is a thing of the past. And there is absolutely no rapping. None.
Thirty seconds into "We Are," the first track, Frederic sings, over a radiohead-esque off-kilter keyboard and reverb-saturated drums, "call me the wasted time, the aging adolescence/call me a bad sign of everything that's to come." As twin guitar lines weave their way dissonantly into the mix, the triangle of 311, the Beatles, and Simple Plan that was Locale AM seems a million years away. In its place is a darker, introspective work loosely themed around the realization of twenty-something burnout, and the disillusion with modern life. If Locale was the sound of a raging high school house party, Facing New York is waking up and realizing you've been going to the same party for ten years, and you're late to your dead end job. Oh God, please, not another self-loathing emo record..
But it's not. Facing New York pull themselves gracefully out of such traps with impeccable musicianship, interesting arrangements, and lyrics just abstract enough to avoid the clichýs of much modern rock.
Upon first listen the music is almost too dense, and the listener may find himself or herself desperately searching for a hook to latch on to. The barrage of constantly shifting arrangements and thick layered instrumentation can be a little overwhelming at first, after a few listens the obtuse yet expertly crafted melodies and asymmetrical rhythms work their way in and stay put.
The album ends on a very strong note, first racing towards its climax with the up-tempo jazz-punk riffing and blistering keyboard runs of Styrofoam Walls and then crashing in a minor-key meltdown into the more somber yet still driving Fly on the Wall with it's long Mars Volta-inspired ending jam. The record comes to its dramatic conclusion in Butterfly Clock by revisiting the almost symphonic buildup from We Are before grinding to a stop.
Facing New York have proven to be one of the most refreshing new bands to come out of the San Francisco scene in the last couple of years, and their full-length debut is easily at the top of my list for 2005. Listeners new to the band may do better to first check out their EP Swimming Not Treading or their split EP with the band Amity, as the songs on those are on the average more easily accessible than most of the full-length album's material. However their work has reached a new level of maturity and musical sophistication on this latest effort. Not a band or a record to be missed.
First full length release is a "must have"........2005-12-17
FNY's full length is a must have for it's dynamic set list as it opens extremely suspenseful with "We Are" then blasts into their math-punk-prog stylings taking breaks only on tracks five and seven to relax a bit. Starting off the last two tracks (which run together) is a guitar riff that defines the remaining eleven minutes which can be described as tight, jammy, and intense (with some dreamy psychedelic moments thrown in for good measure). Have I mentioned the rhythm section yet? If you are in a Mars Volta mood but don't want to fall asleep and have haunting nightmares, put this album on and you'll end up wanting to start a band of your own.
If you like this release, you're going to love their first EP and their split with "Amity" as they're equally impressive.
A New Fan.......2005-10-05
That being said I picked up their first LP with very little in the way of expectations having only heard two or three songs from it on-line. I've been blown away ever since! Opening with a low-key song gives you time to drink in the music before "Javelina" comes in quickly and doesn't let up. Following this is perhaps my favorite song on the record "Cutting My Hair," which is simply beautiful. I enjoy the break of pace with the dreamy "Apple Sugar Cider." It's a nice song to just laze about with, reminds me of chilly days in the fall. After that the band picks things up again with their prog/punk stylings. I must say that I'm excited to hear more from these guys and will surely be checking out their previous releases.
Disappointing Full Length.......2005-09-01
There has been a huge amount of buzz about Facing New York's self titled full length debut and after the successes of their two previous EP's, Swimming Not Treading and their split with Amity. Facing New York have set themselves up to meet some pretty high standards. If you were to listen to their first EP, Swimming Not Treading, you would find yourself submerged in an abundance of ambience and punk-prog. The EP featured incredible songs such as "No!" and "Claim/Subclaim". This EP is what caught the eyes of a lot of people in the music industry, hoping to find a diamond in the rough, but with the release of their self-titled debut, this diamond in the rough was nothing but zirconium.
Facing New York kick things off with a somewhat mid-tempo track that can be compared to a less technical The Mars Volta, a four minute track entitled "We Are". Right from the start, your hopes are high and you are not disappointed. Track 2, "Javelina", and track 3, "Cutting My Hair", may be the best songs on the album. They keep your high hopes in place, and you're pretty sure that from here on out the band will not disappoint you with a dull album. Well, hold that thought because when "Full Turn" is finished "Apple Sugar Cider" hits your speakers. It's a soft, slow song that sounds much like a children's lullaby and completely clashes with the rest of the album. From then on, the album cannot be salvaged, sure there are certain songs like "Flagstaff" and "Styrofoam Walls" that are decent, but nothing that really stands out too much. Although the debut shows a lot of potential and may be diverse from what other bands have to offer, after the midway point (perhaps even before that) the album starts to grow tedious and bland.
Facing New York have quite a bit of potential that shines through on both the previous EP's, but stand clear of their self-titled effort unless you're looking for a good nap.
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