Founded in 2006, Funeral Club is the stage name of husband and wife duo Jenny and Joseph Andreotti. The band – whose sound evokes memories of Nick Cave, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the best parts of early-80s Cure – completed their magnificent third album, In the Fire, in Spring of 2011.
As the band tell it: “In The Fire was influenced by the idea of paying homage to experimental film makers Maya Deren and David Lynch, film composer Ennio Morricone, and to Pulp’s wonderfully sleazy film-noir inspired This is Hardcore. ” An eclectic set of influences, to be sure, but not surprising from a band that says its beginnings were inspired by “their grandparent’s journey from Oklahoma to Bakersfield, California during the great Dust Bowl migration, 1960s spaghetti westerns, David Lynch soundtracks, and the late 70s punk movement.” All of these diverse influences combine with haunting lyrics and sinuous, sensual melodies to produce an album that is both atmospheric and enveloping.
The band’s considerable talent for creating dramatic canvasses shines on “A Soapbox Serenade,” which crackles and moves with a sense of danger. It’s like stepping in to the climax of an obscure, foreign art piece. Beautiful and mysterious… have a listen:
Since the release of In the Fire, the band have kept busy, and have recently released a new EP – Waves & Waves – on Pale Noir. The eponymous “Waves & Waves” is a gorgeous, brooding track that features a superb combination of saxophone, ethereal vocals, and an arrangement that reminds me of Disintegration-era Cure. Why not have a listen?
If you’d like to learn more about the band, I strongly encourage you to visit their website, or check them out on Facebook. (It should also be noted that they’re lovely people who never once yelled at me for holding on to their music for an eternity… So, thanks, Funeral Club!)
I’ll leave you with the video for “Shadows” from the Waves & Waves EP:
I’m intrigued!!