| Fievel is Glauque | |
|---|---|
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2018-present |
| Labels | Fat Possum, Math Interactive |
| Members | Ma Clément, Zach Phillips |
| Website | fievelisglauque |
Fievel Is Glauque is a musical jazz-pop duo composed of multi-instrumentalist Zach Phillips and singer Ma Clément, based in New York City and Brussels respectively. They are accompanied variously by other musicians such as Raphaël Desmarets, André Sacalxot, Eléonore Kenis, Gaspard Sicx and Anatole Damien.
History
Phillips and Clément co-founded the band after serendipitously meeting in Brussels in 2018 through a mutual friend after Phillips injured himself on a metal pole; Clément was trained as a nurse and helped provide first aid. The name originates with the band's first saxophonist, Eléonore Kenis, after Fievel Mouskewitz (the protagonist of An American Tail) and the French word glauque, meaning blue-green (as in "glaucous"); or, metaphorically, run-down, sordid, or sleazy. Phillips stated that his "post-hoc rationalized interpretation" of the name was that it was meant to evoke the gentrification of sleazy glauque places.
The band released their first album, God's Trashmen Sent to Right the Mess, in January 2021. The album was recorded live on cassette tape in mono over a series of sessions, with a different assembly of musicians on each track. Their next release, Aérodynes EP, was released in April 2022 and was recorded on tape via overdub. In the fall of 2022, they opened for Stereolab, following the tour with the release of their second album and debut studio album Flaming Swords. Flaming Swords is recorded live in one session. They released the single "I'm Scanning Things I Can't See"/"Dark Dancing" in August 2023, accompanied by a short film directed by Joey Agresta.
The band's third album and second studio album Rong Weicknes was released on October 25, 2024, on Fat Possum Records.
Style
Fievel is Glauque's music has been described by NPR as "jazzy, psychedelic pop" and by Pitchfork as experimental jazz. Miles Bowe of Bandcamp described them as an "intricate of jazz, pop, and chanteuse music." Their second album, Flaming Swords, represented an evolution in the lo-fi sound of God's Trashmen, with more complex and rich arrangements as well as skits extracted from movies in the style of the Wu-Tang Clan. The band's lyrics are written in both English and French.
Influences
Ma Clément listed Blue Bell Knoll by the Cocteau Twins as a particular favorite, and Whitney Houston and Björk as vocalists she admired. Zach Phillips cited Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Royal Trux, Annette Peacock, MF Doom, and Daniel Johnston as inspirations through both their music and ethoses. He also stated that he admired as pianists Mal Waldron and Carla Bley. Other influences include Quentin Moore, Kurt Weisman, Ruth Garbus, and Ryan Power, as well as a variety of visual artists, writers, and philosophers including Christopher Forgues and Jacques Lacan.
Members
Core members
- Ma Clément – vocals
- Zach Phillips – keyboards
Auxiliary members and collaborators
- Derek Baron – drums
- Chris Cohen – drums
- Stephe Cooper – bass guitar
- Anatole Damien – guitar, bass guitar
- Raphaël Desmarets – bass guitar, guitar, backing vocals
- Olia Eichenbaum – backing vocals
- Johannes Eimermacher – alto saxophone
- Thom Gill – guitar
- Davin Givhan – bass guitar
- Sylvain Haenen – guitar
- Faustine Hollander – bass guitar
- Logan Hone – alto saxophone, flute, guitar
- Shoko Igarashi – soprano saxophone, flute
- Jay Israelson – Juno synthesizer
- Logan Kane – bass guitar, upright bass
- Eléonore Kenis – alto saxophone
- Eric Kinny – lap steel, pedal steel
- Billy McShane – alto saxophone
- Roxane Métayer – violin
- Quentin Moore – guitar
- Valentin Noiret – guitar
- Fabien Portejoie – bass guitar
- Ryan Power – guitar
- Pedro Riofrío – percussion
- Daniel Rossi – percussion
- Jean-Philippe Rouquier – drums
- André Sacalxot – alto saxophone, flute
- Hendrike Scharmann – violin
- Gaspard Sicx – drums
- Marta Tiesenga – tenor saxophone
- Chris Weisman – guitar, electric sitar, piano
- ^ Appears on God's Trashmen Sent to Right the Mess (2021).
- ^ Appears on Flaming Swords (2022).
- ^ Appears on Rong Weicknes (2024).
Discography
Albums
- God's Trashmen Sent to Right the Mess (2021)
- Flaming Swords (Math Interactive, 2022)
- Rong Weicknes (Fat Possum, 2024)
EPs
- Aérodynes (2022)
Singles
- Clues Not to Read
- Save the Phenomenon
- I'm Scanning Things I Can't See/Dark Dancing
- As Above So Below
References
- ^ Davis, Ted (November 18, 2022). "Band To Watch: Fievel Is Glauque". Stereogum.
- ^ "Fievel is Glauque share "Save the Phenomenon," announce debut studio LP". The FADER.
- ^ Davis, Ted (13 August 2023). "Fievel Is Glauque, 'I'm Scanning Things I Can't See'". NPR. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
- Helfand, Raphael (14 November 2022). "Song You Need: Fievel Is Glauque remain mysterious". The FADER. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
- "Fievel Is Glauque". Toutpartout. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
- ^ Gutierrez, Joe (2022-04-28). "Fievel Is Glauque | Feature Interview". Post-Trash. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
- Noel, Jude (2022-12-02). "Tone Glow 090: Fievel is Glauque". Tone Glow. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
- Bowe, Miles (2021-01-08). "Fievel Is Glauque, "God's Trashmen Sent to Right the Mess"". Bandcamp Daily. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
- Pearis, Bill. "Fievel is Glauque prep debut album, on tour with Stereolab (listen to "Save the Phenomenon")". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
- ^ Bowe, Miles (2022-11-28). "Fievel Is Glauque, "Flaming Swords"". Bandcamp Daily. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
- "thanks for noticing.…". r/indieheads. 2022-04-10. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
- Monroe, Jazz (14 August 2024). "Fievel Is Glauque Announce New Album Rong Weicknes, Share Song: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
- ^ Shosa, Travis (30 November 2022). "Fievel Is Glauque: Flaming Swords". Pitchfork.
- "God's Trashmen Sent to Right the Mess | Fievel is Glauque". Bandcamp. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- "Flaming Swords | Fievel is Glauque". Bandcamp. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- "Rong Weicknes | Fievel Is Glauque". Bandcamp. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- Deville, Chris (November 9, 2022). "Fievel Is Glauque Share New Single "Clues Not To Read": Listen". Stereogum.
- Pareles, Jon; Zoladz, Lindsay (December 2, 2022). "Coi Leray Borrows a Hip-Hop Classic, and 8 More New Songs". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
External links
- Official website
- Fievel Is Glauque discography at Discogs
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