Albums by this artist

Happiness (2001)

Fridge

Happiness

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» BROCK KAPPERS | STAFF WRITER

Fridge Happiness Temporary Residence, 2001 RiYL: Ganger, To Rococo Rot, Isotope 217

See, I have a problem with single-word-named bands. When I first heard the name Spoon, I snickered and thought of a bad "Tick" joke. When I heard the name Bjork for the first time, I thought someone was getting reading to toss their cookies. So when someone told me there was a band named Fridge, I certainly scoffed at that name as well. I thought they would be some silly drone band that went on for a double disc's worth of a single chord. That all changed when I sampled this wonderfully alive CD.

Fridge are a trio from London. Fronted by Kieran Hebden, they have been making warm and flowing music since 1996. Unlike Hebden's other project, Four Tet, Fridge seem to have a knack for making odd organic instruments fit tightly with electronic gurgles and glitches. But don't be fooled, ladies and gentlemen, their new long-player Happiness is a rock album through and through.

Happiness starts out on a strong note with "Melodica and Trombone." The trombone in question basically sets the rhythm for the whole song. With maracas shaking and stirring in the backround, you know right off the bat that this is a different kind of album. The song ends with what sounds like a coal stove about to burst. This leads perfectly into "Drum Machines and Glockenspiel." With off-beat syncopation, the song starts off in a funky kind of tribal beat. Enter the bright and penetrating glockenspiel, fitting perfectly into the loops of the song. Nothing but warmth and goodness flow from this track, which hits the 13-minute mark.

My personal favorite track, "Five Four Children's Voices" puts a huge smile on my face everytime I hear it. With wonderful standard percussion, great chord progression, and children's voices in the background, this track reminds me of all that is good in Autumn. The simple change from warmth to chill echoes all throughout this song. The track ends with sounds like a distorted old-school telephone ringing.

Happiness is rife with experimentation. "Sample and Clicks" takes that same telephone noise and toys with it over top of a classical-sounding bass line. The sonic connection between the previous two songs work well together, but seem to hinder the flow of the disc when "Drums, Bass, Sonic, and Edit" kicks in.

Fridge, unlike the singularity of their name, have made a solid Fall-time album. This one is perfect for driving down stretches of highway surrounded by mountains and realizing that landscapes should have soundscapes too.

BROCK KAPPERS |