September 29

The Fire Theft / Sept. 27, 2003 / Seattle (Graceland)

The Fire Theft galvanized a standing-room-only audience Saturday night in its hometown of Seattle. It was a night of new beginnings, as the show marked the start of a North American tour and the live performance of the group's self-titled Rykodisc debut.

Although making a fresh start, the Fire Theft's members are no strangers to Seattle's beloved Graceland nightclub. Frontman Jeremy Enigk, drummer William Goldsmith and bassist Nate Mendel were the driving forces behind Sunny Day Real Estate, one of Seattle's favorite songs from the '90s underground rock scene. But the band's on-again, off-again subsistence, coupled with overlapping menage-a-bandmate relationships with the Foo Fighters, led to a permanent split in 2002.

Enigk, Goldsmith and Mendel are now back as the Fire Theft, which debuted at Graceland in January as "The Fire Theft, formerly Sunny Day Real Estate." But this time around, the group made it clearly known to the frenzied audience that preconceptions should be checked at the door. On this night, the Fire Theft was out to create its identity anew, entirely disconnected from previous incarnations.

Joined by second guitarist Nick Macri, the band kicked things off with "Oceans Apart," a mellow, yet uplifting sonic sonnet featuring Enigk's emotionally charged, high-register vocal melodies. The lyrics seemed to signify the band's rebirth: "Feet on the ground / though my memories often fade there / oceans apart from where you are." The anthemic "Chain" hammered the point home further: "change all around us / change in everything you see."

The energy only increased over the next few songs, led by Goldsmith's fiery foundation of percussion. Enigk's emotions moved in and out like the changing tides. Mid-song, his feelings showed loudly through shouting vocals and a look of vulnerability in his boiling eyes. Between songs, only a shy "thanks for coming to hear our new record" is all he uttered.

The band reached a plateau during "It's Over," and did not let up until the set was finished. The devout audience, which cheered loudly between songs, could no longer stand in silence as the music played, bursting into spirited cheers during a quiet transition point in the melody. Enigk then moved to the piano for "Heaven," a song both desperate and hopeful, exemplifying the band's overriding persona.

Indeed, the Fire Theft resides musically at the turning point when despair and defeat give way to a revived sense of hope and a renewal of the spirit. This feeling is prominently noticeable on "Sinatra," where Enigk wailed, "Remembering a reason to be born / taking back the fire from the four corners / I can't bury my life when I can fill it up with joy."

By now, the band had loosened up and Enigk relaxed a bit more between songs, perhaps recognizing that he was at home in front of longtime fans. But time was running out, and Enigk announced that the final song of the night was coming up, as the band went into the twisting riffs of the largely instrumental "Rubber Bands."

As the band exited to the chorus of euphoric cheers, the audience begged for an encore. But there would be no more music on this night, as the Graceland staff announced that it was time to leave. It was only 11:30 p.m.; clearly there would be no special treatment for the hometown crowd at this show.

On one hand, the group had performed all its material, and probably wants to distance itself from the SDRE back catalog as an encore option. And, the show was just the first of a long tour. But as the crowd exited somewhat empty-handed, there seemed to be a distancing between the band and its hometown fan base.

While the musical change of identity from SDRE to the Fire Theft is one of promise, the attitudinal change from local favorite to ambiguous, larger label outfit is one that left some to wonder if the group hadn't put its proverbial cart before the horse.

-- David Cook, Seattle

THE FIRE THEFT
Graceland at 8 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 27, with LaGuardia. $15. All ages.

Don't call it a comeback—or a reunion or a one-off or a side project. The self- titled CD by the Fire Theft, to be released later this month on Rykodisc, is a debut album by a new band. Sure, the band happens to include three of the four founding members of Sunny Day Real Estate. But they're not looking back, so why should we? Given Sunny Day's tumultuous past, any closer scrutiny of this latest project will cause the whole thing to tumble, house-of-cards style, onto the cold, dirty ground. Luckily, the Fire Theft has still got the chops to withstand the industry attention that the band's stature and soap opera story line have earned them. Even though guitarist/vocalist Jeremy Enigk, bassist Nate Mendel, and drummer William Goldsmith haven't performed together since 1995, the band members still sound like they can read each other's minds, trading Sunny Day's tightly coiled zig-zags for a looser, unrestrained sound derived more from classic rock. Bloggers who've spent years analyzing the willfully cryptic Enigk's lyrics may be surprised to hear that the Fire Theft aim for clarity. Broad-stroke power chords support such lyrics as "I thought that I was crazy/All along it was just a girl" and "Change all around us/Change in everything you see." Enigk's vocals still keen and careen, and the songs retain Sunny Day's searching spiritual ache, but the lyrical directness and affectionate nods to the Beach Boys and the Who reveal a group of musicians finding their voice—just what you'd expect from a new band touring behind its debut CD. CHRIS LORRAINE

Last week I had the pleasure of viewing "Once Upon a Time in Mexico." An extremely enjoyable, if not familiar, action packed, politically charged yarn. The movie wasn't without flaw, but Johnny Depp, stole the freaking show. I was mesmerized by his every word and move. He was a good guy and a bad guy. He was crazy, and he was funny. He was motivated and self absorbed. He was conniving and ruthless. All of which made for superb cinema and made you feel like "I wanna be this guy." However, it didn't come to him without price, for he turned his back and lost his eyes. Like my idol George Costanza always said "He flew to close to the sun on wings of pastrami," or something like that. You may ask, what the heck does this have to do with the music we are going to discuss? Whelp, Sunny Day Real Estate was a bit like good ole Johnny. We were mesmerized by them at one time. We hung on their every word. They were crazy and self absorbed. All of which made for an amazing musical experience. But, eventually, they got their eyes poked out. Johnny didn't die, and neither did Sunny Day...

The founding members of Sunny Day, Jeremy Enigk and William Goldsmith, natives of Seattle's die-hard Subpop scene, were determined to press forward. After Sunny Day disbanded for good in 2002, Enigk and Goldsmith are re-joined in The Fire Theft by Nate Mendel, a founding SDRE member who left to join Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters (Goldsmith was also in Grohl’s crew for a few years). This marked the new beginning. Anyone who just assumes this is SDRE reincarnated will be in for a surprise. Some old fans may dive right in, while others may be put off altogether. I, myself, still find I'm swimming laps. Enigk's razor sharp high pitch croon still remains, but the rest feels dewey fresh. It's equal parts indie rock, 70's prog, and 80's wave. You can definitely feel the pull of Pink Floyd and Zeppelin's influence. You can't keep a good band down.

The 12 track, 50+ minute "Self titled" album slid on me like comfy old pair of slippers. The mixtape masterpieces are all over this gem. "Uncle Mountain" sounds like familiar terrain, with it's slow paced indie intro. But, something is different. The orchestra background, paves the way for a monstrous mid section and grand finale. You really feel the Pink Floyd meets YES prog-effect on "Chain." Enigk's voice has never sounded so spectacular. It's chilling. "Summertime" is reminiscent of Frog Prince era Enigk. Very orchestrated and loopy, and brilliant. "Heaven" is the piano laced ballad that tells me these boys have plenty of voice left in them, and lots to say. I know I'm gushing, but I loved them before and I find myself even more drawn to them now. Maybe I'm a fanboy or maybe I'm a sucker for this wussy emo crap, but I'll tell you what, this "Fire" is still burning.

8.5/10

RIYL:

Sunny Day Real Estate
Pink Floyd
Laguardia
Radiohead
Coheed and Cambria(smiliar high pitch shrill)

-Adam Roncaglione

The Fire Theft
s/t
Rykodisc
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RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1. 2. 3. 5. 7. 9
PROFANITY TRACKS: none
ARTIST WEBSITE: http://www.thefiretheft.com
LABEL WEBSITE: http://www.rykodisc.com
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Review:
There is not a single person in my close knit circle of friends that does not hold the first record by Sunny Day Real Estate, Diary, as some sort of prophetic, life changing record. Every one of them claims how amazing, how music altering how completely innovative that record was. For a time one of the biggest bragging rights going was that one friend of mine actually saw them play when they were touring the diary record, before the first break-up.

After Diary, most of my friends still liked SDRE well enough, LP 2 definitely had its moments, and after the band got back together most of them enjoyed those records to an extent. All of them, however, always harkened back to the glory days of Diary, that lone record that changed their life.

Much like a spirit possessed by Gozar, all I can say is this: There is no Sunny Day, only Zoul. Well OK, not Zoul so much as there is no Sunny Day, only The Fire Theft.

3/4 of SDRE, Jeremy and Co. have a new band, and I haven't felt this way about anything these band members have done this strongly since Diary came out. Am I saying it sounds like that record does? No, not for a second. But it sure as hell invokes feelings like the first time I heard that record. The Fire Theft's debut is full of soaring, epic songs, with Jeremy's trademark, pitch perfect vocal poetry flowing over the melodies. This record is as lush as it is sparse, as intense as it is gentle and as epic as it is simple.

The Fire Theft is a truly amazing record, one that will be undoubtedly regarded as the rebirth of these 3 musicians. Not since the glory days has their passion for music been so apparent, and who knows how long it's been since I've heard a debut record like this one. Amazing.

Back in the day, when Jeremy Enigk, William Goldsmith, and Nate Mendel were still recording as Sunny Day Real Estate, it was their flair for coloring the ethos of punk and hardcore with progressive rock's pacing and stylistic breadth, which helped define their deliberate, emotionally invested music. SDRE quickly reached "can do no wrong" status in the hearts and minds of millions. However, inner turmoil of both the personal and band-oriented variety reared up, and it was too soon before Sunny Day Real Estate had bought the farm. It's been a rocky road of reunions, religion, and redoubtable side projects since, but the trio has been led back to one another, and a reformation as the Fire Theft. The band's eponymous Rykodisc debut doesn't skimp on the scope — violin, viola, French horn, and a children's choir vie peacefully with piano, guitar, and Enigk's typically enormous vocals. But it is not a project concerned with upholding or continuing any sort of legacy. Enigk and co-songwriter Goldsmith (whose inventive percussion unifies the album) freely cross Yes with Modest Mouse ("Oceans Apart"), approach Presence-era Led Zeppelin with their instrumentals, and embrace a classic, unironic sense of melody with "Chain" and "Heaven." At the same time, those tracks are made fabulously, achingly poignant by lyrics that lance through any preconceived notions of emo or anything else, and pierce directly into Enigk's psyche. There's no crybaby posing here, no deployment of cliché. Even if SDRE had a hand in the popularization of the emo movement, the Fire Theft's music is much too personal to be anything other than a therapy session, both for Enigk and his musical co-conspirators and friends. "Heaven/Are you really waiting outside the door?"; "I'm going nowhere waiting for the future to begin"; "Lift back the veil that hides you from me" — while The Fire Theft is steeped in ambiguity, its creators' strange journey must play into its numerous parts and emotions. What's wonderful about all of this soul searching though is its foundation in melody. The album has its drifting moments, to be sure. But a crashing chorus or epic melodic shift is never far around the bend. Its penultimate moment is the eight-minute finale, "Sinatra." Over cascading, perfectly mixed drums, dreamy guitars, touches of piano, and a chorus of questioning voices, Enigk dwells on adulthood and direction in unflinching first person. "Now that I've buried my life away/Can I dig it out again?" The Fire Theft doesn't make clear whether he can, and its search for the truth down arty indie paths might lead some listeners to look elsewhere. But Enigk, Goldsmith, and Mendel are still sussing out the passion, and stealing emotion back from labelers. — Johnny Loftus

The Fire Theft / March 19, 2003 / New York (Bowery Ballroom)

Being an avid fan of Sunny Day Real Estate was never easy. Just as the seminal Seattle rock outfit's 1994 debut, "Diary," was becoming ubiquitous in the independent rock underground, SDRE abruptly disbanded. Just as surprisingly, the group got back together four years later to release the triumphant "How It Feels To Be Something On," one of the best comeback albums of the last decade.

The band's dramatic soft-to-loud movements and strong emotional undercurrent continued to mirror its off-stage existence. The 2000 album "The Rising Tide" marked SDRE's jump from longtime home Sub Pop to the Arista-affiliated Time Bomb, but the set never took flight. The band broke up again shortly thereafter.

Based on this history, one could never count SDRE's members out, and sure enough, three of the four principals (only guitarist Dan Hoerner is absent) are recording an album and touring as the Fire Theft. And while SDRE's legacy certainly helped the burgeoning, still-unsigned group instantly sell out New York's 500-capacity Bowery Ballroom last week, the Fire Theft is indeed a new creation that seems more concerned with embracing the future than with any unfinished business.

As with SDRE, the Fire Theft's power is largely derived from frontman Jeremy Enigk and his pitch-perfect, almost impossibly high register vocals. And while Enigk's lyrical subject matter was cryptic to a frustrating degree on early SDRE albums, the artist seems to be embracing a narrative approach that is more direct than ever before. To wit, his piano-dominated encore number "Heaven" found him openly declaring to an unseen subject, "I'm falling in love with you," and the twinkling "Houses" seemed to be about a vacation spent "laying by the pool."

That's not to say Enigk is just laying it out there in obvious detail. One of the group's best new songs, "It's Over," weds cathartic, major-key guitar rock to lyrics that chronicle the deterioration of a relationship almost gleefully. On "Hands on You," which could have easily fit on "The Rising Tide," Enigk asks, "Remember all that talk of timing? / I see that time has flown / maybe you tried to tell me this when you played that tune 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue'," fully aware that both the question and the answer will make no sense to the audience.

Semantics and subject matter aside, the Fire Theft has the potential to be a great band. The rhythm section of drummer William Goldsmith and Foo Fighters bassist Nate Mendel (who plays on the album but so far is only on-board for this round of touring) is as powerful as ever, and Enigk has developed into an uncommonly creative songwriter. The section-to-section shifts within each song are much less abrupt, as evidenced by the stellar "Sinatra," which found a happy medium between electric guitar crunch and gentle, synthesizer-led verses.

If anything, the group seems more willing to incorporate new textures. Keyboards (provided by Nick Macri) were prominent on the emphatic "Chain" and the slow-building "Oceans Apart," while closer "Rubber Bands" ran through some weird tempo changes and a heavy, almost-classic rock riff. Second guitarist Bill Dolan (5ive Style, Heroic Doses) is a great addition to the lineup, although he appeared a bit underutilized on the more mid-tempo songs.

Word is that the Fire Theft is being courted by a series of major labels, and although its music isn't really that much more mainstream friendly than was Sunny Day Real Estate's, there's something to be said for a group of musicians who can maintain such a devoted fanbase after a decade of ups-and-downs. That they're still producing worthwhile music is even more impressive.

The Jealous Sound delivered an opening set with definite indie rock shades of Knapsack, a band previously led by guitarist Blair Shehan. Morningwood was more intense, particularly on a scary homage to "The Lord of the Rings" that found frontwoman Chantal Claret writhing on the ground and shouting, "One ring! Two rings! Three rings!" All was rescued by the band's kick-ass cover of AC/DC's "Riff Raff," featuring a jaw-dropping solo by Dolan.

Here is the Fire Theft's setlist:

"Uncle Mountain"
"Oceans Apart"
"It's Over"
"Summertime"
"Easy Whistle"
"Carry You"
"Hands on You"
"Houses"
"Chain"
"Wastin' Time"
"Sinatra"

Encore:
"Heaven"
"Rubber Bands"
-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.