Hamburg, Germany based group The Fine Chairs is a brand new group that’s bringing plenty of past experience to the table. Founded in August of 2021, the band is currently comprised of Sebastian Teufel (bass, drums, keys, vocals) and Christian Urban (electric guitar), both previously members of Yellow Jumps Twice and each with decades of experience in the industry. With a name inspired by a saying by Teufel’s mother (“We’ll have guests tonight. Bring the fine chairs!”), this vibrant, eclectic debut album is every bit of proof you’ll need to want to keep this up-and-coming group on your radar.
HERE’S WHAT WE DUG MOST…
This self-titled album opens with Off Your Track, and right away we’re hit with bright acoustic guitars, a warm bassline, and a hypnotic electric guitar riff. Teufel’s vocals are raw and bright, bringing a layer of authenticity and grit to their sound. There’s some nostalgia here, a hint of retro, Beatles-style songwriting and vocal harmonies making an appearance in the chorus.
Strange Days is a great follow-up to the opener, another guitar-led track with steady, easygoing energy. The standout moment on this track is the use of harmony in the chorus – the slightly dissonant, tonally interesting harmony mirrors the sentiment of the hook, “strange days, indeed“.
There are a lot of strong songwriting moments across this project, but there’s some particularly moving lyric writing on Where Are You Now. The soft rock cadence of the track is the perfect accompaniment to the heartfelt lyrics, and the female vocals that join Teufel’s are a warm and rich addition:
“The years they’ve left their marks in my eyes
I’ve learned to see through the lies
People tryin’ to tell me
I sorted crisis out for myself
But now I feel like being left behind
Thrown away“
The intro to the driving, gritty rock track Keep The Distance grabs the ear right away, but the electric guitar work from Urban keeps you hooked through the end. The guitar solo at 2:11 is a perfectly simple showing of restraint and skill, and it pairs incredibly well with the ripping harmonica solo that precedes it.
We also love The Walls Come Tumbling Down for its honest, heartbroken confessional sentiment, and For Heaven’s Sake for bringing hints of funkiness to this record.
OUR FAVORITE TRACK…
I Don’t Mind is a warm, uptempo number that features strong vocal harmonies in the chorus and driving, riff-heavy percussion. Comparisons to newer Mumford & Sons work might be drawn here, with a melodic guitar focus, a growling lead vocal, and strong, well-composed melodies that are catchy and memorable. Top it off with some poetic lyric work and it’s no doubt a stand-out moment on this project:
“Because everywhere could be the place
A place that you’d call home
A place to be alone
Wherever we may roam“
IN CONCLUSION…
The Fine Chairs may consider themselves a pop-rock outfit, but after listening through this debut record, make no mistake – they are much more than that. A fusion of influences and styles, combined with clear musical skill and tied together with well-crafted songs and a distinct lead vocal makes this group far more memorable than many of their contemporaries. If they can keep up the quality and cohesion found in droves on this debut album, we’ll have high expectations for this promising, talented new group.
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BELOW: Listen to The Fine Chairs and connect with their website and social media platforms. Please support The Fine Chairs by visiting them online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music, or attending a live show! And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!
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