track of the week ~ 'consolation prize' ~ alice signal fires

Band Name: Alice Signal Fires
Genre: Indie-Rock
For Fans Of: Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes, Ben Kweller
Location: Carryduff
Twitter//Facebook

A track of real intent, 'Consolation Prize' is the result of simple acoustic guitar, smothered in waves of reverberated beauty. Coming straight off this very young bands DIY debut record, Alice Signal Fires have chosen to go into this crazy business all guns blazing; hitting the general public with a series of surprisingly impressive indie-rock anthems, each one brimming with emotion. 'Consolation Prize' is no different, the heart it's author clearly prides himself on evident in every verse.

At times it can be taken for granted just how difficult it is to transfer genuine emotion into a four minute recording ~ it can be so easy to stray into clichéd territory. Impressively, Alice Signal Fires seem to have struck the perfect balance between feeling and 'acting'. There's no plastic lyrics here, no falseness and certainly no lack of quality. The production here is big, capturing the spirit of the whole album excellently. Made up of young brothers Declan and Conor McCrory, you feel there was no shortage of quality records growing up in that household, as elements of Arcade Fire, Elliot Smith and Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum all take precedence on their debut album 'Ghost'. 

The most exciting aspect of Alice Signal Fires? This is just the beginning. 'Consolation Prize' (in fact, the majority of their album) could soundtrack an indie movie quite comfortably. Declan McCrory (himself just 17 years old) possesses a voice of rough grandeur. The strings which rise and fall throughout their songs are heartfelt, their introspective lyrics similarly so.

Provided they retain the epic sound which have defined their short existence so far, Alice Signal Fires may just have a future in this.

It's still very early days, but promising all the same.

Taylor Johnson