8½
| 8½ | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 📅 Released | 3 March 2015 | |||
| ⏳ Length | 32:34 | |||
| 🏷️ Label | Mint 400 Records | |||
| 🤑 Producer | Neil Sabatino | |||
| Fairmont chronology | ||||
| ||||
Buy this album 8½ (album) or listen to it on amazon
8½ is the eighth studio album that is from the American rock band Fairmont.
Content[edit]
The nine-track album was released on 3 March 2015, with Mint 400 Records, and was produced by Neil Sabatino. The band explains the title is reflection of the album being their eighth and half release, as an homage to the film 8½, and because the album "contains eight and a half songs." A Pirate! press release describes the album as a "complex mix [of] melodies driven by the play of male and female vocals, guitars and lush instrumentation of xyla-rimba, vibraphone, and glockenspiel."[1]
Sam Carradori sings lead on "The Connection," Fairmont's first song to feature female lead vocals. The song "Gone" is described as having "rainy-day vibes sold by descending keys," and features shared vocals with the Maravines, and the song "Devil" contains vocals with Murzik.[2] They released a music video for the song "Bad Time" on 20 January 2015.[3]
Reception[edit]
Columnist Jake Bracey from Speak Into My Good Eye notes that although the opening track "Love & War" is "a far reach from [their] mastermind days of being a regular on the Van's Warped Tour, the song is one of complexity, and features a variety of dynamic changes in tempo, loudness, and keys," and concludes that it makes an "enjoyable single from New Jersey's own Fairmont."[4] The review for 8½ in Jersey Beat by Deborah Draisin says "Fairmont never disappoint or cease to throw in a surprise or two with every new release." She describes how the song "Bad Time" "floats [its] way through a very pleasant, vintage-sounding journey" and is the "most reminiscent of the quintessential Fairmont," and summarizes the album by saying "this band just keeps getting better and better."[5]
Track listing[edit]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Waste My Time" | 3:54 |
| 2. | "Love & War" | 5:19 |
| 3. | "Blood in the Water" | 4:03 |
| 4. | "Don't Wait Up" | 3:37 |
| 5. | "The Connection" | 3:41 |
| 6. | "Bad Time" | 2:59 |
| 7. | "Gone" | 2:56 |
| 8. | "Devil" | 3:35 |
| 9. | "Happy Days, Happy Nights" | 2:29 |
| Total length: | 32:34 | |
Personnel[edit]
- Andy Applegate – drums
- Sam Carradori – bass guitar and backing vocals
- Christian Kisala – keys
- Neil Sabatino – lead vocals and guitar
Additional musicians[edit]
- The Maravines – vocals on "Gone"
- Murzik – vocals on "Devil"
References[edit]
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Bracey, Jake (5 December 2014), "SIMGE Singles: Fairmont Have A Message They Want You To Hear With "Love & War"", Speak Into My Good Eye, retrieved 25 January 2019
- Carradini, Stephen (27 February 2015), "Fairmont's tweaks to their indie-rock sound pay off", Independent Clauses, retrieved 24 January 2019
- Draisin, Deborah (2015), "Fairmont – 8½ (Mint 400)", Jersey Beat, retrieved 24 January 2019
- Makin, Bob (4 September 2016), "Makin Waves with The North Jersey Indie Rock Festival", Courier News, retrieved 24 January 2019
- Pirate! Staff (2015), "Fairmont 8½", Pirate!, retrieved 24 January 2019
