Marseille Figs: uptempo pop from a "small big band" -- Violent Femmes meets Tom Waits meets Squirrel Nut Zippers

Yesterday, I picked up "The Dirty Canon," Marseille Figs's first album on the advice of a friend. I've barely listened to anything since. My pal called them a "three piece big band" who trade instruments around a lot and change up on every track. That's a great explanation -- they sound like a cross between Violent Femmes and Tom Waits, with some Squirrel Nut Zippers and even a little Louis Jordan tossed in for good measure, a rich stew of every music style overlaid with funny and soulful lyrics. Mostly uptempo, it put me in an instant good mood. What's more, it's just plain lovely -- there's a current of something delicate and wistful swirling through all twelve tracks. Check out the free downloads on the site and see what you think. Link to Marseille Figs's site, Link to The Dirty Canon on Amazon UK (Thanks, Stef!)

[#1 posted by johninnit , January 10, 2008 2:10 AM]

Yay Figs! New album is cracking (esp love "Don't Fall Asleep at the Wheel", which I think is a little Black Box Recorderish in the wistful way you mention), but one of my faves is still "I Love London..." on their last demo Boum Boum Constant - http://www.marseillefigs.org/newdemos2005.html

[#2 posted by someToast , January 10, 2008 3:52 AM]

Both the Amazon MP3 Store and iTunes have the album.

I prefer iTunes' AAC format when it's available DRM-free (which this album is), but iTunes has the "clean" version (which I don't want) and Amazon's isn't. D'oh! Who makes these decisions?

[#3 posted by tachekent , January 10, 2008 4:02 AM]

For what it's worth, we never released a clean version of the album (nor does one exist AFAIK), so it's possible that the "clean" tag is just plain wrong.

Or do the iTunes censors dive in with audio scissors these days?

[#4 posted by someToast , January 10, 2008 4:18 AM]

Listening to the preview for Caesar's Revenge, it does sound like iTunes just flipped the wrong bit when entering the metadata.

Huzzah! Off to buy!   : )

[#5 posted by pennydreadful , January 10, 2008 5:59 AM]

This album is also available drm-free on emusic.
http://www.emusic.com/album/Marseille-Figs-The-Dirty-Canon-MP3-Download/11113937.html

[#6 posted by tesmerjg , January 10, 2008 7:43 AM]

The banjoiness reminds me of The Avett Bros. You may like them as well.

[#7 posted by mdbell79 , January 10, 2008 10:27 PM]

Thanks for this post-- These guys are amazing... and are a great next album to play after the Neutral Milk Hotel binge I've been on all evening.