In 1996 an unknown independent band received their first booking. They were asked to support Bon Jovi before 60,000 people. That band was Seven, now known as Fono, and for their second album they have decided to sign with a Christian label while keeping up their links with mainstream clubs in the UK. I must admit that having loved the raw sound of Seven's album, my approach to this more produced release was somewhat cautious. For the most part, such caution was unjustified.
A fairly focused alternative rock act, Fono have mellowed somewhat since they first started, bringing their pop sensibilities into a stronger role, allowing Del Currie (ex-Split Level and Tribe Of Dan) to use his vocals in a slightly wider context. The arrangements are tight and the odd touch of electronic trickery or vocal distortion adds to the sound nicely. The mix is a little bright for these tastes, but this will probably serve to provide extra commercial accessibility. The extra guitarist that joins Currie in filling out Fono's sound live doesn't appear on the album, but Ian Crawford and Andy Ridley enrich the sound with their bass and drum talents, respectively.
The lyrics are painted with a fairly broad brush, covering a number of issues and leaving plenty open to interpretation. "Now She's 24" is the most overt in its Christianity, featuring the story of a girl turning to Christ, with the prominent lyrics "Jesus I am yours"-I personally preferred the older version of this on the indie release, which was far more aggressive, but this version's more acoustic feel has grown on me. "Burn" is a pure alternative single, with strong wah-wah and clear, passionate lyrics:
Take this life
It's all I have to give
Knock me down
I never wanted this pride
Tie my hands
So I can do no wrong
Blind my eyes
With the fire in my mind
You burn me up, you burn me
Goesaroundcomesaround doesn't quite do Fono's mesmerizing live show justice, but in a market flooded with weak grunge rehashes it's an honest album with enough grittiness to hold its own. The band are touring around Europe at the moment and hope to be in the US in the new year to coincide with the album's release to that market. See them live if you can, but check out the album too.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Bert GanglThe Fono narrative over the past five years could be broadly categorized as an alternation between daunting achievement and unlikely obstacles. After finding moderate success in the European pub and club circuit with his former band, singer Del Currie voluntarily detached himself from the music scene for a year. After his sabbatical, Currie teamed up with friend Ian Crawford and churchmate Andy…HM Magazine #79Reviewed by Amanda NelsonWhere has this band been all my life? What a great sound! To misquote my favorite film, Christmas Vacation, "If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I couldn't be more excited than I am right now." These guys have a modern, kind of Beatles sound, and the lead singer Del Currie sounds a lot like Sting. This album starts off with a bang. The first song, "Collide," is very cool. The…ReAL Magazine 1999Reviewed by Timothy Paul YenterThis is not your parents' album. From its opening measures, this action-movie of an album rocks with the veracity of a live performance. In the classic tradition of three-piece bands, Fono is in-your-face power rock, developed out of performances before a live audience, with all the ensuing strengths and weaknesses. GoesAroundComesAround, for all its loud reveling (and this album should…Bandoppler 1999Reviewed by Sucré MusiqueWith as many words as this review could hold, at least half would be adjectives. It's tempting to use the word, "smart." And undoubtedly the term "pop-hooks" will surface. Maybe, even the expression "sassy," would appropriately describe the high-energy rock music that Fono embraces. It would be hard to round out this review without using the cliche' term "Brit-rock." Then again, they are British.…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Josh SpencerA review for this album doesn't need to be long. GoesAroundComesAround is probably the best radio-ready alternative rock album by Christians ever, no contest. Almost every song could rule the charts if given the chance. These Brits have taken all the post-grunge pop tricks and tools and have fashioned a superbly solid, catchy, sonically-pleasing collection of songs with quality lyrics that avoid…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Steven S. BaldwinA colossal sound, some spiffy production techniques, vigorous vocals, and a few well-played chords can get you pretty far in the music biz. Although Fono offers pretty standard stuff for nineties modern rock, they transcend the sameness of their alternative peers a smidge. So what if the vocalist sounds like Sting (and others) at times, that the riffs are often ripped from the Foo Fighters'…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by James StewartIt's been over a year since Fono's debut first landed in the CD players of UK-based fans. In that time they've been shunted between US labels and had time to do a little more work on the album. So it is that this re-release (to the UK market) of GoesAroundComesAround sees the final track of the original, "All Falls Down," removed, the addition of three new tracks, and the album re-organized. This…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Corey WeltonFono's GoesAroundComesAround is simply one of the most surprising albums I've ever come across in Christian rock. Opening with "Collide," the first thirty seconds might make one think they've bought an experimental electronic album. This is not the case, but it makes a good transition into what turns out to be an excellent fast-paced opener for the album. The band churns out nine more wonderfully…Similar sounding releases
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