Tall Firs - Too Old To Die Young

After a 2006 debut which drew accolades from Rolling Stone, Vice, NME, Q, and Harp amongst others, Tall Firs return with a second dose of songs showcasing a new non-drowsy formula. First record masterminds Dave Mies and Aaron Mullan have now been joined by drummer Ryan Sawyer as the third full-time Fir, and the results are like a fine cough syrup: A confusing, bittersweet concoction laced with just enough speed to keep you feeling a bit better about the world of sickness closing in around you. Too Old to Die Young  maintains the lugubrious lyrical stylings Firs accolades demand.  The band are unafraid to invoke the pocket-orchestra balladry of the first record, tastily accomplished on songs like ‘Secrets + Lies’ and ‘Good Intentions.’ But several new strands have entered the gene pool as well, and the outcome is no chimera of crudely assembled influences, but a cohesive new beast. In gems like "The Breeze" and "The Woods," their duo vocals are moody, without squawking in that already dated freak-folk style; the guitars are occasionally colored by chimes, organ and brushed drums. "Go Whiskey" has the high, lonesome shiver of an old Townes Van Zandt record, except without any obvious country affectations. If your idea of staying warm on a winter night is a bottle of bourbon and a bleak memory, Tall Firs will make excellent company. Rolling Stone. These songs possess a sense of simmering tension, where lugubrious lyricism and instrumental drift do not detract from a poised delivery and a subtle but thoughtful use of contrasting shades. The acoustic-electric interplay suggests a kind of rootless, melodic modernity…The Wire Tall Firs are brimming with an earnest beauty…most notably on the sublime ‘Go Whiskey’ where the guitar sounds as though it was recorded in another, more stately century.  A tiny treat. Q

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