Rather than don the comfortable slippers of nostalgia, this month I am going to pull on the Dock Martin’s of youthful rebellion and tackle a band of a much fresher vintage i.e. someone who came on the scene post-1994. Mojo Fury were brought to my attention earlier this year by my good friend (and mortal enemy), Kneeal. At last, all of the time I've wasted on our friendship has paid off, as Mojo Fury are definitely the best new music I've heard this year (they're new to me, so don't be giving me shit for not having heard of them before)! So who are these talismanic fellows and why are they so damn furious?
Mojo Fury are an alternative rock band from our very own Northern Ireland (yeah, you heard me; fuck you, Your Majesty!). They were formed in Lisburn in 2004, and though they have been on the go for ten years, to date they have released only two albums; 2011’s Visiting Hours of a Travelling Circus and last year’s The Difference Between. Both albums are well worth your time, a truth of which I will no doubt wholeheartedly convince you by the end of this blog (unless you’re a complete idiot, and you’re not a complete idiot, right?).
So now we know who they are; what can we expect from their sound? Kneeal sold them to me as something of a cross between Biffy Clyro (it came as no surprise to discover that they once provided supported to the Scottish alt-rockers) and Nine Inch Nails. Given my tastes, this is an excellent way to sell me pretty much anything (except ice-cream; that would be disgusting). While I am loath to give Kneeal credit for anything, I have to admit that this is as good a description as even I, in all of my literary prowess and glory, could come up with. So; yoink!
I’ve tried to research the band's history a little (viz, I Googled them) but could find very little biographical information out there. So rather than blather on I'll let the music do the talking. So let’s get on with it shall we? After all, valuable porn watching time is being wasted.
VISITING HOURS OF A TRAVELING CIRCUS [2011]
After three EPs and seven years on the go Mojo Fury finally got around to releasing their first album. The long gestation seems to have been a good thing as with Visiting Hours of a Travelling Circus the band have delivered a highly accomplished and sophisticated debut. From the opening refrains of the imminently sing-along-able-to (©David O’Brien) The Mann to the soaring closer Electric Sea, the album offers up a diverse collection of spiky alt-rock suffused with abundant pop melodies. There’s a wide variety of influences on display here. The band shift with consummate ease between all-out rocking, electronic pop, and moments of serene introspection. This is where the Biffy Clyro comparison really shines through. Mojo Fury have the same pop-rock sensibility coupled with odd time signatures so prevalent in Biffy’s music, all filtered through a NIN style production aesthetic. This is slick and powerful stuff, just left of mainstream enough to be interesting, while never skimping on epic hooks that will echo pleasantly in your head for days.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN [2013]
Bands these day rarely get beyond their second album for me. Someone will arrive on the scene with an exciting new sound and get swept along on a wave of media hype. Suddenly everyone wants a piece and there is a rush to capitalise on that successful first release. All too often these sophomore efforts end up sounding like rehashes of the band’s first album because they were given no real time to develop and grow. Thankfully, Mojo Fury have managed to sidestep this trap, expanding their palate and building on what came before to deliver a fantastic follow-up. Mojo Fury aren’t a band afraid to experiment and neither are they afraid to embrace big sing-along pop choruses. The Difference Between dials back the punk attitude and the electronic influence is brought much more to the fore. Everything that made VHoaTC great is still here but the rough edges have been smoothed off. This is neither a good or a bad thing; it’s just a different sound; the sound of a band maturing. Safe In The Arms of The Sound opens proceedings with a statement of intent, a sweeping stadium filler which proclaims Mojo Fury as a band with big ambitions. There is a definite feel of eighties Bowie at times and I mean that as a big compliment! This is an album filled with choruses that demand to be sung back by an arena of people. Superb stuff!
FURTHER LISTENING
Before hitting the big time i.e. being mentioned in my blog, the band released three EPs which don't appear too easy to come by, so good luck with that. There are some extra tracks to be found on their Bandcamp page. Here you can find Mojo Fury: Remixed, a collection of demos and alternative tracks from the recording sessions for VHoaTC. There are also two free downloads that are well worth nabbing, el. and Grounds.
So that’s it! Mojo Fury - 2: Shit – 0. Bring on round 3! I hope you enjoy your new favourite band (you will if you know what's good for you...). I for one (and one for I! - Oh, fuck you, pun snobs!) can't wait to hear what they have in store next. Inside sources (aka. Kneeal) have informed me that their frontman and chief songwriter, Michael Mormecha, has a few other musical projects on the go, including a solo career, which I will hopefully explore further in the near future. But for now, it’s all about Mojo Fury for me. Give ‘em a whirl and drop a comment below to let me know what you think!
