On the EP Never Too Late, alternative pop outfit Frealane balance acoustic and electric dynamics with ease. The EP’s opener, “Isabelle,” announces that balance instantly: power chords sound on an acoustic guitar open the track, paving the way for the pretty, nostalgic notes off the electric. This mix is further shaped by the band’s global reach. Lead singer, guitarist, and keyboardist Andrea Dee is from France; guitarist Coque Gonzalez was born in Valencia, Spain. The two met in 2011, forming the base of Frealane that now includes bassist Brian Tully and percussionist Aaron Knight. Now based in New York City, Frealane oscillates between English and French language songs, piano-driven pop ballads and full-on rockers.
The songs on Never Too Late speak to a diverse collection of experiences and encounters, many of which relate to finding oneself at the center of personal and creative progression. Throughout “The Same,” Dee sings about the struggles that are built into not only songwriting, but also in thoughts shaping the self, others, and systems as vast as religion. These themes also persist on the title track off the EP, which disregards the anxieties about the future. Both tracks, which contain the darker moments on Never Too Late, also allows the band to trade its indie pop sounds for heavier, moodier hard rock. Never Too Late also explores the perils of love, lust, and everything in between. “Excuse Me” is a nostalgic, melodic number about unrequited love; the chorus expertly illustrates that nostalgia, evoking at once both the jangle pop of the 90s and the emo scene of the early 2000s.
Frealane will perform at Harlem’s Silvana and Shrine venues on March 27 and April 30, respectively. The band will then hit the road all summer on the “Across America 2014,” which kicks off on May 28 in Alexandria, Virginia.
Article by Pam Segura
