I love music that pulls the rug from under my feet. The music suggests one thing and then heads out in another direction, perhaps initially leaving you a bit bemused and confounded but then making you smile in appreciation that here you have an artist happy not to play by the rules. Or at least play by those of their own making.
And that is precisely what happens with Fall, the latest release from Phil Firetog Trio & Co. The single starts in a place reminiscent of the 60’s coffee shop folk boom as if this was an artist perhaps opening for Joni, James, Neil, or any iconic scenesters of the time. But the great thing is that the song very quickly evolves, wrapping itself in tones and textures, weight and energy garnered from rock and jazz and even progressive rock quarters.
But rather than making complex and ornate music just for the sake of it, there is actual invention going on here. The building blocks might sound familiar but what is being created is like little you have witnessed before. In turn, the result is folk music that is complex, nostalgic, addictive, forward-thinking, unique, familiar, clever, and accessible.
When was the last time a simple folk record gave you all that? Never, I would guess. And that is my point exactly.
You can listen to the single Fall on Spotify.
To know more about Phil Firetog Trio & Co, you can connect on Instagram @philfiretogtrio and the website philfiretogtrio.com