By: Chad Saville
Rating: 7/11

For Feather's recent release, Your Friends are Doing Well (2008 – For Feather,) is a robust, sometimes personal six-track assault against the sentimental singer songwriter schtick every listener in the world has been beaten down by. Instead, this collection takes the same sensitive topics and adds instrumentals which are full, crisp, and accessible. The often straight ahead pop sound of For Feather is full of an atmosphere of romance and spry adventures, however real or imaginary.

The band is a four-piece ensemble lead by Brooklyn rocker and composer, Erica Glyn, known for intricate percussive devices and an improvisational spirit. Their song writing is influenced by the Pixies, Bowie PJ Harvey, Terry Riley and Tortoise. To that effect, Your Friends are Doing Well falls on the ears like echoes down a long hallway, and changes timbre with the same sense of surprise and velocity. What begins as whispers tickling the back of the neck quickly take shape and deliver a full-fledged, glorious beating.

Erica Glyn’s vocals are confessional without pretension, and the band is diverse and superb. For Feather does their best to create a lush pop atmosphere with tidy rhythms, corporeal movement, and an upright bass which adds full-bellied soulfulness. The bass is especially evident on “Pullover,” when Glyn sings for about 55 seconds accompanied only by a bow raked across its strings.

“Pleasure” is an especially powerful track, accompanied by the versatile guitar and percussive lines. The song is full of self-indulgent defiance, and is a journey into dirty-avant sound, at times loud, then silent, but at all times moving delicately toward an unknown destination. Glyn’s vocals respectfully illustrate the underlying time signatures and the song is really a wonderful example of lush, modern New York pop.

For Feather just released a new album, Firing at Love Field (2009 – For Feather), and will be playing their next show at Spike hill in Williamsburg on April 23.