Slip Through The Holes In The Stories They Told

Fol Chen “In Ruins”

Fol Chen are basically a slick LA keyboard-centric band, but it’s kinda tricky to figure out exactly what they’re doing and where they’re coming from. They always seem to put themselves at a distance from “pop music” while reveling in it, giving off a vibe that while they love a particular strain of danceable pop music and technically are playing within that genre, they don’t actually feel as though they actually belong in the genre. While “Cable TV”, the stand-out track from the debut album, quoted Janet Jackson and was basically about indulging in simple — if not “guilty” — pleasures, “In Ruins” seems more at peace with being a pop song. The melody and rhythms are engaging, the production has a lot of color and dimension. Nevertheless, it’s still a bit reserved. I like what they’ve got going on here, but man, can you imagine what this could be if they went all the way?

Visit the Asthmatic Kitty site for more on Fol Chen.