The Pain Of Your Touch

Friendly Fires “Hurting”

This reminds me of Phoenix’s excellent 2004 album Alphabetical. Friendly Fires go for a similar sort of immaculate funk, but they aren’t quite as tentative about embracing the romance in their music. Phoenix has always kept the listener at a distance, hinting at glamor and sexiness in the elegance of their sound while Thomas Mars sings evocative lines tossed in with cryptic gibberish. I love that sort of thing, but at the same time it’s nice to hear Friendly Fires’ Ed Macfarlane put his heart on his sleeve and deliver this straightforward crush pop. “Hurting” is a perfect expression of infatuation — heightened and blissful, while also vulnerable and anguished.

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