Je M'appelle Stereo

Fonda 500

You'll be grateful to know that spending 3 months working in Paris back in 2005 holds me in good stead to translate this album title for you. Je M'appelle Stereo... it's french for "My name is Stereo". Very profound, don't you think?

Anyway, back to what I'm meant to be saying.

Fonda 500 are a 5-piece heralding from sunny Hull in England and according to my research Je M'appelle Stereo is their sixth album release. If you happen to live in sunny England or have ever been a fan of the amazing TV series Teachers (which, may i say, was mostly made amazing by it's soundtrack), you may already be familiar with these guys. However, me, sitting in windy Sydney, have not had the pleasure until today.

How can I describe what I'm listening to? Well, it's a fantastic mixture of synthesised and real instruments. It slightly reminds me of the Super Furry Animals, but less kooky. The vocals contain a strong but subtle lead with well placed harmonies. Let's just say....that compared to most of the indie/pop/rock (whatever you want to call it) bands that come out these days, it is obvious that Fonda 500 have a wealth of experience behind them in the field of musicology. In simple terms, what I'm trying to say is that, although the subjects of some of the songs are quite unserious, the vocals are quite the opposite. That is, they are obviously being performed by someone who is not a spotty teenager who decided to form a band to try with the aim to either pull some birds and/or be front page of the NME.

There's elements of many genres in this album. The tracks: Je M'appelle Stereo and Super Dots & Lights, would be totally suited to a cheesy britpop club (if someone was silly enough to give me a spot as a dj). I ♥ Stereo Cos Stereo's Good For Me is a short foray into electronic beats. Come Alight and Silver Sounds are beautiful and soothing tunes that would be best suited to lying in a park on a sunny afternoon.... and Music Should Always Be Played By The Hands Of The Animals is one of those songs that if you were sitting in a dark room alone you'd be checking your back a while for talking animals with guitars.... maybe i've lost the point there a little, but I do admit I'm freaked out very easily (see the video below and you'll see what I mean).

Fonda 500 are: Simon (Vocals), Nicholas (Guitar) Bod (Bass), Ian (Drums) and Jonee (Guitar); and you can get a sample of Fonda 500 on their myspace page.... Better still....you can get a free Fonda 500 gift if you mill about at: http://www.recordmountain.com/ .... or you can just keep an eye out for Je M'appelle Stereo in your local music store as it's due for release very soon indeed.

Now, I must go and track down some of their other stuff.

 Sal  ...and the talk of schnitzels

Fonda 500