Sometimes I get a bit jealous when my friends find great music before I do. Today I received an innocent looking email linking to Faded Paper Figures‘ album New Medium. If I had any doubt in my friend’s taste in music, lets just say they were put to rest and I owe them a beer.
Faded Paper Figures fits nicely into downtempo pop with a bit of electronica. Pitter-pattering drum machines and synths sweetly fill in the gaps between the trio’s guitars and vocals. R. John Williams and Kael Alden bring the musical muscle, but the real secret weapon is vocalist Heather Alden — her demure voice rounds the act out. There is a subtle dissonance and melancholy feeling to each song, but that should be plain to see when the band names influences like Morrissey, Radiohead, and Jon Brion (… speaking of Jon, he still regularly plays at the Largo here in LA).
The band is embarking on a small summer tour but still has a few local shows lined up. 7/28 @ Spaceland, 7/29 @ The Continental Room, and 7/30 @ The Glasshouse. I wouldn’t pass them up.