Muruch

I missed the initial Art In Manila wave, but oh well. Had I realized that former Azure Ray singer Orenda Fink was Art In Manila’s lead singer and that Set the Woods On Fire is so pretty and catchy, I would not have waited so long. Truth be told, I didn’t bother listening to their album until recently because the promo edition looks exactly like those of Two Gallants (which I don’t like). Another overlooked gem. Better late than never, I suppose.

Orenda’s wistful voice floats along the surface of songs like the opener “Time Gets Us All” and the stand out track “I Thought I Was Free”, which build from sparse piano melodies into lush arrangements punctuated with dramatic percussion. “Our Addictions” rises into an infectious pop-rock ditty.

“The Abomination” takes on a severe acoustic strum as Fink’s vocals echo into a backing choir. “Set The Woods On Fire” dances between moody verses and a taut rock chorus. Tracks like “Golden Dawn” revisit Orenda’s ethereal past, while the rock guitar and melodic vocals of “Spirit, Run” quake and shimmer.

Art In Manila – Set The Woods On Fire (mp3)
Art In Manila – The Abomination (mp3)

Art In Manila MySpace

Buy the CD or Mp3s