Mayday Mayday, Pt. 1 goes live on 4th May 2015. This album is the first installment from a larger 3 part release, ‘Venez M’aider’ to be released later in the year. Falcon Down project leader, ,, is a songwriter, comfortable writing across several genres and who does not want to be pigeon holed into just one musical style.
I like records that let you know they mean business right away – and Mayday Mayday, Pt. 1 definitely does that. From the minute you put it on, it’s like you’ve discovered a favorite record you’ve had buried for years in the back of your closet – all the tunes are catchy, all the words make a quirky kind of sense, and it’s just plain great to listen to.
Falcon Down – Daniel Childerley
I love this record, not only because of the infectious quality of the music, but the lyrics are so great you’ll be humming them to yourself later, eager to hear them again. “Droplet”, “Hit and Miss”, and “Life Preserver” are all really great, but my favorite is “Mannequin”. In some instances Falcon Down reminds of the mid-to-late 70s, Punk and New Wave days with Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson.
The songs are deceptive in their simplicity, played by a man who really plays the instruments. Falcon Down’s vocals are instantly likeable, he’s got a great, vulnerable quality and he can really write a great song. This first album in the trilogy, is full of honest and catchy songs with a real and powerful emotional directness. In broad terms, this is just a really good, alternative rock album; astounding guitar riffs, good raw instrumentation, and yes, really catchy tunes, even if they are not packaged in a linear commercial way.
Mayday Mayday, Pt. 1 seems to jump across the boundary of many different genres and bring back the essence of each to incorporate in different tracks. It combines heartfelt lyrics and singing, surging emotional dynamics and a scorching guitar, be that electric or acoustic. The melodies are either haunting or catchy enough that you’re enjoying the songs before you register the lyrics, and amazing after you do. The concrete images and evocative details in each song let you know exactly what Falcon Down means, even if you don’t know what the hell he’s talking about.
The playing is tight enough to rock and loose enough to roll, while the production is not over-indulgent, leaving a live raw ambience splattered all over the 14 tracks. Falcon Down’s style is provocative and eclectic, which is not something that can be said of most modern rock bands.
Besides Falcon Down’s ska and punk influences, at the core, Mayday Mayday, Pt. 1 is a traditional rock and roll album in the sense of the hard-hitting jams and the crunchy all-consuming guitar and overall grit; however, many albums are already like that. What makes Falcon Down and Mayday Mayday, Pt. 1 great, is how it blends the heart of rock into diverse-sounding, musical collages. And that’s exactly how you break boundaries and crossover without ever being pigeonholed!
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