Like everyone I know, I was charmed by the movie Once. My favorite scene was the glowing candlelit dinner where the guests sing after the meal. The last song in that scene, Gold, enchanted me completely, and that's how I found Fergus O'Farrell and Interference.
Each Interference song I've heard is infused with that same magic. I'm not the best person to describe music but I'll venture a tentative 'layered' and 'lush', and a vague but heartfelt 'beautiful' and provide you with lots of links at the end so you can hear it yourself. I do feel pretty confident in saying Fergus O'Farrell has a masterful, evocative voice that can put the listener in whatever spirit or state of mind he wants it to. And the lyrics could stand alone- each song tells a tale, often with imagery that gives pause and stays around long after the song is over. I love Prayer Before A Voyage and the opening lines:
Be my weather
Blow through my like the wind
Wind in invisible shapes about my ribs
And also this line from the wrenching Nowhere, depicting 'the twisted hands weaving Bridget's wreaths.' I could go on and on but I might loose you before I get to the one I most want to mention, I Am Your Man. I first heard this song right around the time I first read the poem The Voice of Robert Desnos, and I like the same thing in them, the visionary narrator grown so powerful by his love that he feels godlike. But I like the song's narrator better. All-encompassing and possessive, he controls the universe and he is everything in it. Here are the lyrics:
I Am Your Man
I'll be your father or your knight of love divine.
I'll be your punishment and I will strip you in the cold moonshine.
I'll be your memory and quitely slip away.
I'll present you with all religion and give you a ring every day.
Cause I am your man.
I'll be unworthy when I lick between your lips.
A slave to show you cowardice, a bold pirate and captain of ships.
I'll be a crucifix when I nail myself to your skin.
I will beg forgiveness from God and gently cleanse your sins.
Cause I am your man,
(Your darling, sweet heart, dear.)
I'll be Lord Byron if you want to be naked and free.
I'll be Lord Jesus if you're caught in a storm at sea.
I will bring you peace to rid your soul of fear.
I will bring you release if you are lost in a veil of tears.
Cause I am your man.
I will ask for nothing...
But a promise for eternity.
And a vow to grant me your body.
And a charge to rule your destiny.
That's all...
I can't even read the words without short-circuiting. But when I listen to the performance, the voice is in complete control- so commanding and sure that it calms even as it combusts and consumes. Where's my white flag?
You can watch a captivating Interference performance here. You can stream and/or purchase both albums here. A lively, endearing Fergus O'Farrell talks about creativity and his working methods here. This clip would be worth watching even if he weren't totally gorgeous with the pretty blue eyes, handsome face and knee-weakening accent. Honestly. By about the 4th time through I could actually focus on what he says and it's illuminating and funny too.
Interference are playing Radio City Music Hall on May 19th. If you have loads of airmiles and the freedom to come and go as you please, tickets for the otherwise sold-out performance are available on StubHub. Once again, I am hoping for some video footage to surface after the show and I'll let you know if it does.
A couple more Interference links: their official MySpace where you can hear the lovely Sail On, which isn't on either album, and their homepage. And this is a nice article.
I'll stop now.
I'll have to take a listen. I'm wondering what kind of music this is, folk, rock, etc. I'll bookmark it and check it out later this weekend. Ah, how that bookmark list grows!
Posted by: Melissa Donovan | May 03, 2008 at 12:46 PM
Hi Melissa, it really depends what song you listen to- they are hard to classify. The scene from the movie featuring Gold is on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6HjhoXsKko
It sounds more traditional to me, other songs sound more rock.
Actually, I'd love some feedback from my readers if anyone has time... do you mind following links to YouTube etc to check out music, or do you prefer to download mp3 files? I especially want to know this: does it make a difference in whether you check out a band or not?
I would not offer any Interference songs without permission for a few reasons, but in other cases I might consider it.
Leave a comment here or email me at asweetunrest(AT)yahoo.com.
Posted by: Greer | May 03, 2008 at 03:07 PM
Fergus O'Farrell and Interference are the best! I have been listening to his/their music since seeing the film ONCE. Also to The Swell Season and the Frames. They have taken over my listening time completely! Fergus' voice is premier and the songs he and friends write and sing/play are seemingly perfect for him. I am in awe. On the Interference CD there is a song: Breaking Out, that just grabs at my heart every time I hear it. The backup by Glen Hansard is just great and when they exchange melody/harmony near the end.... music just doesn't get better. Thanks for your post. More people need to know about O'Farrell and Interference.
Posted by: Nolan Winkler | April 19, 2009 at 08:33 PM
Hi Nolan, thank you so much for commenting. Their music has really touched me too and it's such a pleasure to hear from another fan. I agree Breaking Out is fantastic. I read somewhere that Interference are working on a new record and I sincerely hope it's true!
Posted by: Greer | April 20, 2009 at 12:01 PM
This is a amazing post, I located your webpage looking around google for a related content and arrived to this. I couldnt come across to much alternative info on this write-up, so it was good to locate this one. I will likely be back to look at some other articles that you have another time.
Posted by: nike air yeezy | April 30, 2010 at 02:08 AM
I, too, am smitten by Fergus. I was so fortunate to have caught the Interference performance at Radio City that you mentioned. It was brilliant. I just picked up the EP he did back in 2007 with David Bickley, "All Your Life/Sweet Love." It's so very different with Bickley's pulsing soundscapes, but god does it ever work! Genius.
Posted by: Adriana | January 08, 2011 at 10:37 AM
Hi Adriana, How amazing you got to see that show!! Wonderful! I like that EP a lot even though as you say the sound is quite different. Sweet Love especially is such a gorgeous song. Thanks for stopping by.
Posted by: Greer | January 13, 2011 at 06:25 PM