Genres: Punk / Math Rock / Indie Rock / Post-Hardcore
Related artists: Smart Went Crazy, Beauty Pill, Loomis Slovak, Medications, Sabine, The Mary Timony Band and The Effects.
Country: Washington D.C. U.S.A.
Years Active: 1997-2001
Song: "Cut Self Not"
Album: "The View From This Tower"
Year: 2000
For fans of: Riddle Of Steel, No Knife, Fugazi, Frodus, Medications, Kid Kilowatt, Girl Arm, North Of America, Modern Rifles, Q And Not U, Dakota/Dakota, Hey Predator, Primus, Nada Surf, Ahleuchatistas, Russian Circles, Cave In, Moneen, Slint, Shellac and Hella.
Related artists: Smart Went Crazy, Beauty Pill, Loomis Slovak, Medications, Sabine, The Mary Timony Band and The Effects.
Country: Washington D.C. U.S.A.
Years Active: 1997-2001
Song: "Cut Self Not"
Album: "The View From This Tower"
Year: 2000
For fans of: Riddle Of Steel, No Knife, Fugazi, Frodus, Medications, Kid Kilowatt, Girl Arm, North Of America, Modern Rifles, Q And Not U, Dakota/Dakota, Hey Predator, Primus, Nada Surf, Ahleuchatistas, Russian Circles, Cave In, Moneen, Slint, Shellac and Hella.
Label(s): Self Released / Dischord Records / Mis En Scene / DeSoto Records /
FARAQUET were introduced to me very recently, in October of 2018 to be exact, by my good friend Vanessa of Crowning in this podcast that we did together. She prefaced the track by letting me know that it was a mixture of post-hardcore and math rock, not unlike Fugazi. I like Fugazi, but hadn't delved in enough for the comparison to get me excited. Then, about halfway through the first listen, her partner Andy became worried that something was wrong, as my mouth dropped and fingers clenched tightly to my chair, and I realized that this, fuckin' THIS, was the precursor to all the jangly, mathy, post-hardcore rock that I have been addicted to ever since first hearing North Of America back in the early 2000s. It can most certainly be likened to other one-word F-bands such as Fugazi and Frodus.
FARAQUET released a few 7"s and a split before releasing their widely known first and only proper LP titled 'The View From This Tower' in 2000 and broke up the following year. All of the early material was released on a discography of sorts (it doesn't include the LP) written and recorded from 1997-1998, and released in 2006 via Dischord, who also released their 12". They played angular, driving, mathy, groovy, danceable, disjointed, catchy and experimental rock with post-hardcore elements. Most of these are prevalent from the first 7" in 1998 with "Parakeet" and "Um Die Ecke", but it wasn't until their 1999 releases that they started firing on all cylinders. This is more than evident on "The Whole Thing Over", which is pretty bouncy but has a midsection that shows a massively heavy instrumental side that slides into a nice, chill, dreamy Slint bit before reverting back to the poppier/mathier verses. This is followed by "Call It Sane", an unbelievably angular and disjointed math rock jam that is my favourite song by FARAQUET. That unreal stop/start, noodley riffing and exceptional bass and drum work hit at 19 seconds and lead to a tranquil but driving first verse that reminds me a bit of Q And Not U during their 'Different Damage' era. The song moves around and spends some time in drawling note rings and a boppin' instrumental midsection, all of which leads back to that exceptional opening riff. The rest of their early work is good, but never tops "Call It Sane". "Study in Movement" sounds like early Nada Surf, "Rex" has country influence and the demo of "Sea Song" is mostly a trippy, nauseating jam whose section from 1:49 to 2:40 (but only on the LP version, sadly) might just make you seasick. There's also a bonus track (I've titled it "Secret Song") after this which is a jazzy instrumental clusterfuck not unlike Ahleuchatistas and Hella , being one of most enjoyable rides on the 'Anthology'.
Without a doubt FARAQUET's crowning achievement, 'The View From This Tower' opens with one of the greatest openers I've ever heard, "Cut Self Not". Just before 30 seconds in they drop more of that ridiculously noodley math-rock and quickly shift into very relaxing jams coated in warm, controlled singing. "Carefully Planned" sounds like No Knife and is as precise as you can get. "The Fourth Introduction" is spastic and unbalanced and I fucking love it. Oh, it also has a Cave In section (1:20) and sick stop/start Primus part (1:48). "Song for Friends to Me" is short, playful and awkward, almost sounds like Ben Folds with it's rhythm, lyrics and vocals, as well as the trumpet. On the other end of the spectrum lies "Conceptual Separation of Self" is nearly seven minutes of dark, eerie and slow orchestral rock that reminds me of the Waking Life soundtrack. Title track "The View From This Tower" hits so many different genres that even on a quick listen you'll likely find similarities to the Primus, The Advantage, The Strokes and Russian Circles, and it's all spot-fucking-on. This is an excellent album that has a wonderful flow and zero duds.
If you're still mad smitten with FARAQUET and haven't checked out Medications then I know your future, cuz it's the same guitarist vocalist.
This post's artist is from the February 2019 Mix. This is track #?.
FARAQUET were introduced to me very recently, in October of 2018 to be exact, by my good friend Vanessa of Crowning in this podcast that we did together. She prefaced the track by letting me know that it was a mixture of post-hardcore and math rock, not unlike Fugazi. I like Fugazi, but hadn't delved in enough for the comparison to get me excited. Then, about halfway through the first listen, her partner Andy became worried that something was wrong, as my mouth dropped and fingers clenched tightly to my chair, and I realized that this, fuckin' THIS, was the precursor to all the jangly, mathy, post-hardcore rock that I have been addicted to ever since first hearing North Of America back in the early 2000s. It can most certainly be likened to other one-word F-bands such as Fugazi and Frodus.
FARAQUET released a few 7"s and a split before releasing their widely known first and only proper LP titled 'The View From This Tower' in 2000 and broke up the following year. All of the early material was released on a discography of sorts (it doesn't include the LP) written and recorded from 1997-1998, and released in 2006 via Dischord, who also released their 12". They played angular, driving, mathy, groovy, danceable, disjointed, catchy and experimental rock with post-hardcore elements. Most of these are prevalent from the first 7" in 1998 with "Parakeet" and "Um Die Ecke", but it wasn't until their 1999 releases that they started firing on all cylinders. This is more than evident on "The Whole Thing Over", which is pretty bouncy but has a midsection that shows a massively heavy instrumental side that slides into a nice, chill, dreamy Slint bit before reverting back to the poppier/mathier verses. This is followed by "Call It Sane", an unbelievably angular and disjointed math rock jam that is my favourite song by FARAQUET. That unreal stop/start, noodley riffing and exceptional bass and drum work hit at 19 seconds and lead to a tranquil but driving first verse that reminds me a bit of Q And Not U during their 'Different Damage' era. The song moves around and spends some time in drawling note rings and a boppin' instrumental midsection, all of which leads back to that exceptional opening riff. The rest of their early work is good, but never tops "Call It Sane". "Study in Movement" sounds like early Nada Surf, "Rex" has country influence and the demo of "Sea Song" is mostly a trippy, nauseating jam whose section from 1:49 to 2:40 (but only on the LP version, sadly) might just make you seasick. There's also a bonus track (I've titled it "Secret Song") after this which is a jazzy instrumental clusterfuck not unlike Ahleuchatistas and Hella , being one of most enjoyable rides on the 'Anthology'.
Without a doubt FARAQUET's crowning achievement, 'The View From This Tower' opens with one of the greatest openers I've ever heard, "Cut Self Not". Just before 30 seconds in they drop more of that ridiculously noodley math-rock and quickly shift into very relaxing jams coated in warm, controlled singing. "Carefully Planned" sounds like No Knife and is as precise as you can get. "The Fourth Introduction" is spastic and unbalanced and I fucking love it. Oh, it also has a Cave In section (1:20) and sick stop/start Primus part (1:48). "Song for Friends to Me" is short, playful and awkward, almost sounds like Ben Folds with it's rhythm, lyrics and vocals, as well as the trumpet. On the other end of the spectrum lies "Conceptual Separation of Self" is nearly seven minutes of dark, eerie and slow orchestral rock that reminds me of the Waking Life soundtrack. Title track "The View From This Tower" hits so many different genres that even on a quick listen you'll likely find similarities to the Primus, The Advantage, The Strokes and Russian Circles, and it's all spot-fucking-on. This is an excellent album that has a wonderful flow and zero duds.
If you're still mad smitten with FARAQUET and haven't checked out Medications then I know your future, cuz it's the same guitarist vocalist.
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1998 - Parakeet / Um Die Ecke cassette/7"
1999 - The Whole Thing Over / Call It Sane 7"
1999 - Akarso split cdEP
2000 -The View From This Tower cd/12"LP
2008 - 97/98 Anthology cd/12"LP (compiles everything but the LP)
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(2000) FARAQUET - "Cut Self Not" (from 'The View From This Tower')
(2000) FARAQUET - "The Fourth Introduction" (from 'The View From This Tower')
(1999) FARAQUET - "Call It Sane" (from 'The Whole Thing Over / Call It Sane')
(1998) FARAQUET - "The Whole Thing Over" (from 'The Whole Thing Over / Call It Sane')
(1998) FARAQUET - "Secret Song" (from '97/98 Anthology')
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FARAQUET out of print mp3 discography download / additional links
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