Thursday, April 23, 2009

fools' errand

"string of fools": illustration by ib.

fool
1 |fuːl|
noun
a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person : what a fool I was to do this.
• historical a jester or clown, esp. one retained in a noble household.
• informal a person devoted to a particular activity : he is a running fool.
• archaic a person who is duped


Formed and barely functioning on just bass and vocals in Brooklyn, NYC, The Fools - seemingly - are prudent regulars at the Bowery Poetry Club where they rally forth, to chasten and charm in equal measure, as an integral part of "Sean T. Hanratty Presents: Theater of Fools".



the fools; uchenna bright and jen tobin.

There is a sepulchral fragility to the songs this duo brings to the table.
A brittle clarity in their refusal to labour the point.

I do not jest: the portentous singer/songwriter jacket as married to a host of newer acts these days very often provokes a narcoleptic response; an overblown fanfare of arrangements laid like furs atop a bed of threadbare songs.
The Fools are certainly innocent in this regard. Keeping it simple with one eye on the clock, together they buckle down and rattle out one concise offering after the other. Quietly poetic observations in the two to three minute manner of a Jonathan Richman or Antony Hegarty. On first listen, their album does little to disappoint. Soon to be released on the Eternal Amateur label through Bowery Poetry Club Records, I find myself pleasantly preoccupied.

"fool" by vogther, the younger, gotha, 1540.

uchenna bright: bass;
jen tobin: vocals and guitar.



THE FOOLS: THE GREAT WHALE from "Lost And Found" CD (Eternal Amateur) 2009 (US)


THE FOOLS: OPEN DOOR from "Lost And Found" CD (Eternal Amateur) 2009 (US)


THE FOOLS: COSMIC LOVE from "Lost And Found" CD (Eternal Amateur) 2009 (US)

6 comments:

ib said...

Quite gratifying to see a couple of these tracks 'favourited' over on Hypem. Viva the Bowery Poetry Club!

daniel said...

Nice post, nice band. I am not fool-in. Thanks for the hint. I will check them out.

check out my faves:
www.spreewelle.de

ib said...

Cheers, Daniel. Nice pun!

I've added Spreewelle to my sidecar links. My grasp of German - as a language - is rudimentary, to say the least. I am an admirer of Neu! and La Düsseldorf. Among others.

Ramone666 said...

Nice find Ib... the sound of innocence indeed.

Mr. Beer N. Hockey said...

Rockin' wooden shoes!

ib said...

Glad you dig the clogs!