Alison Sudol lets her hair down for Bomb in a Birdcage, the singer-songwriter’s rock-infused piano pop follow-up to A Fine Frenzy’s acclaimed first album.
A Fine Frenzy, aka Los Angeles–bred pianist Alison Sudol, made quite an introduction in 2007 with her debut LP, the introspective One Cell in the Sea. However, the flamed-haired songstress embraces her unruly side for Bomb in a Birdcage, having apparently taken her own advice: “You should be wilder/You’re not fun at all,” she sings on “Electric Twist,” one of the many crazy-sexy-cool tracks found on this pop-rock collection. From “Blow Away,” the album’s charming first single, to fiery piano-driven dramas like “World Without” and “Stood Up,” Sudol explores a spectrum of raw emotion. Simple pop moments such as “What I Wouldn’t Do” and “Happier” showcase her songwriting chops as well as her artistic confidence. This album will appeal to fans of Sudol’s contemporaries, like Regina Spektor—especially those who wish Spektor would crank up the rock a few notches. Bomb in a Birdcage is as mighty as A Fine Frenzy’s namesake suggests.
