Sean Lennon - Friendly Fire (2006)

My introduction to Sean Lennon happened randomly when during a live broadcast of HitRECord’s (Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s collaborative media project) final Summer in the City show he and girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl took the stage and sang a couple songs. I was intrigued but didn’t actually act upon it until several months after when I came across Sean Lennon’s album Friendly Fire at a Barnes & Noble. Any research would reveal that Sean Lennon is John Lennon’s son but being that I only have the most cursory knowledge of John Lennon and his music, I feel I was able to appreciate the album in a way that Sean Lennon expected: able to stand on its own musical merits and the effort the songwriter put into it.
Inspired by real events from Sean Lennon’s life where his girlfriend cheated on him with his best friend who then died in a motorcycle accident, a lot of the lyrics have a lot to do with his feelings toward them and sometimes himself. Considering how tragic the circumstances, I was surprised how melancholic the album wasn’t. For the first part of the album, the tracks are reflective, contemplative, but oddly never really that sad. Or if they are, they’re also oddly hopeful or resigned. Around “Tomorrow” the album gets a more positive feeling with only vague hints of any sort of sadness until space-rock-esque “Would I Be The One” and album ender “Falling Out of Love” which sounds rather happy with its Elton John-like piano trimmings but has some of the most dark lyrics on the album with some absolutely gorgeous arrangements. The song reveals the end result of all the craziness: A man unwilling to love for fear of being hurt again which is presented in an almost stunningly beautiful way.
The album is probably the best example of a fluid album I’ve found so far. There are really no standout tracks on it, rather each song contributes to the overall pathos. Similarly to artists like Regina Spektor, the music wouldn’t be out of place in a soundtrack lending itself rather nicely to background music but drawing attention to itself at just the right time. That’s not to say the music isn’t capable of standing on its own but rather doesn’t insist upon itself. The songs on Friendly Fire blend seamlessly into each other and Sean Lennon’s vocals are almost disarmingly quiet, and the songwriting is liberally sprinkled with lyrical gems that you’re sure to miss if you’re not paying attention.

Considering this was the biggest music gamble I’ve ever taken (I spent around $25 on the album including tax after only hearing the live broadcast performance), I was pretty pleased with the result. The songs aren’t particularly catchy (they’re not meant to be) but still have this way of staying with you long after they’re over. I'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who after listening to the album once wasn't compelled to immediately hit repeat.