Review Summary: An accomplished and clever twist on modern indie-rock
Bendigo Fletcher is one of the most talented indie-rock bands around, although you'd be forgiven for not knowing much about them. Despite releasing two albums and two extended plays since 2015, they still haven't broken into the mainstream - a feat that could change after releasing their major label debut,
Fits of Laughter, via Elektra. Those who have followed the band since their inception will notice the sonic leap achieved here, as everything sounds cleaner and tighter than ever before. The result is Bendigo Fletcher doing their usual thing - which is to say crafting a melodic, highly entertaining blend of folk and indie-rock - but now on a platform capable of reaching the masses.
Fits of Laughter retains Bendigo Fletcher's penchant for earnest vocals, earworm choruses, and subtly intricate guitarwork. 'Sugar in the Creek' and 'Birding' open this record illustrating all of those qualities, from frontman Ryan Anderson's self-harmonizing falsetto to Andrew Shupert's shimmering electric guitar solo. The impressive thing about Bendigo Fletcher, especially on
Fits of Laughter, is how well they fuse quieter, more sensitive folk a la Simon and Garfunkel with a more upbeat brand of indie-rock analogous to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, or maybe even The Shins. It's not a pendulum swing between soft and loud so much as it is a seamless integration, which leads to an album with a totally unified atmosphere.
Although the band primarily hones in on its core sound here,
Fits of Laughter isn't without curveballs. The biggest surprise of the album is 'Evergreen', which sees the typically meek Anderson launch into a series of all-out screamed verses on the heels of the chorus. Anyone who has followed Bendigo Fletcher's steady trek through lush and delicate indie-folk will be caught off guard by this, but it will probably also send a smile ear-to-ear as you can hear just how much fun they're having with the song. Elsewhere we get more confident country strides ('Donkey Boy Blues', 'Astro Pup') and hazy, guitar-driven ambience ('Buffalo Rodeo'). It's all a testament to their willingness to experiment, even on a major label debut that could prove to be a litmus test for their future success as a band.
Bendigo Fletcher also aren't afraid to flaunt their quirky lyrics. One of the band's most endearing traits has always been their profound but strange approach to writing, with verses like "We'll collect fallen out teeth in a candy jar / Mice for the backyard peregrine falcon reservation" landing among their weirdest lines and "Sometimes I feel so empty and low / But your eyes prescribe a meaning for everything I do" among their most romantic/heartfelt. Here, we get "I can't sleep on my side anymore / Cause all I want is your hair in my mouth", which is anything but a lyrical trope yet it forces you to empathize with the lonely protagonist. Bendigo Fletcher's persistent dodging of cliches is one of their strongest assets, because it makes every song memorable even where the melodic/instrumental hooks tend to be more subtle.
Those who have not yet delved into Bendigo Fletcher's discography are in for a treat.
Fits of Laughter is an excellent gateway to what is perhaps an even richer back catalog (
Consensual Wisdom might be a modern folk classic), while taking everything the outfit does well and projecting it to the stars. It's a well-deserved opportunity for a band absolutely brimming with talent. If you're one of the few who've been with Bendigo Fletcher from the beginning, then their arrival to a broader mainstream audience will feel like watching a close friend graduate. Either way you'll be happy, because Bendigo Fletcher have put their best foot forward with this accomplished and clever twist on modern indie-rock.
s
