Cranky George is the brainchild of an exciting gathering of LA based talents. The crew includes James Fearnley, co- founder and accordionist for The Pogues, and the Mulroney brothers, Kieran and Dermot – both known for their work on and behind the movie screens.
The band’s upcoming album Fat Lot Of Good comes out in the next couple of weeks, but in the meantime – we took an in depth look at and listen to the single Nighttime, which is available now for you to revel in and joyfully sway to.
The song is soaked in a fresh and creatively free sort of indie-folk originality. One of the very first things you’ll notice about it is the sheer sense of character and individuality that is expressed with every moment. The track has, at times, the feeling of being a vintage classic – the theme tune to some 20th century power clip – yet at other times, there’s a far more now sound to it, perhaps even a little like the backdrop to an upcoming Bond moment. The sound is indie-folk, by all accounts, but it passes for big band, jazz, soul; it even passes for melodic rock on occasion. It’s exciting, and as mentioned, the whole project is creatively free and completely unpredictable, which is something so valuable in itself.
The way that Nighttime has been crafted, performed and produced, really brings out the peace and simplicity of the riffs and the melodies, so what you find yourself focusing on is each individual element – not least of all the unusual and memorable lyrics. The structure of the piece has also been quite cleverly built up, so there are many different sections within just a few minutes of music. It feels like something big is unfolding as you listen, something with many scenes and scenarios, some of which are merely hinted at and left for the imagination to conjure up. What’s more, the leading vocal has such a classic and warm sort of depth and tone to it, that the result is a massively unexpected and somewhat epic work of art, particularly with the later addition of harmonies.
The final few moments, as the music and the vocal parts build up and up, are something else entirely. The sound and the experience gets gradually more intense. It’s a refreshing project, really, overflowing with feeling, but all the while maintaining a very calm and cool composure – something not often witnessed in modern music. It will make you feel good. Well worth a listen.
Find and follow Cranky George on Facebook, and check out their Website for merchandise and further information. The album Fat Lot Of Good comes out October 14th.
