We get letters from all sorts of artists here at Earmilk, but this one particularly stood out to me for some reason. Maybe it was because I saw the words “Orchestra” and “11-Piece”. Either way, when I checked it out, I was nothing less than stoked on my new discovery. Emanuel and The Fear bring a new vibe to the Polyphonic Spree/ Sufjan/ Arcade Fire feel, and I can’t get enough of it right now. I think I even hear a little Cursive influence in there. I had never heard of the band before, even though they released their self titled debut album back in January. This makes me think they aren’t getting the credit they deserve. I listen to a lot of music, and I can’t even believe I haven’t heard of these guys until now.

With a sound that derives itself from composers and songwriters across the board, Emanuel & the Fear is an extraordinary 11-piece orchestra-rock band that focuses on intertwining the modern day pop song with extravagant and complex composition. Drawing from romantic and modern composers like Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Glass; and then fusing in a modern rock sound like Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes, Daft Punk and Sufjan Stevens; Emanuel & the Fear displays a true understanding of sound all-the-while capturing audiences with their climactic electro/orchestral arrangements and quivering, poetic lyrics.

P.S. – Check out “Jimmies Song“, all the way though, and tell me how dope the synths are at about 4-5 minutes in.

Enjoy.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download: Emanuel and The Fear – The Rain Becomes The Clouds

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download: Emanuel and The Fear – Jimmies Song

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download: Emanuel and The Fear – National Anthem

Emanuel And The Fear - The Rain Becomes The Clouds

TOUR DATES

9/17 – New York, NY @ Spike Hill w/ Phonograph

10/1 – Montreal, QB @ Pop Montreal/Bar le Syndrome (Paper Garden Records Presents: Carnaval! w/ Darla Farmer)

10/2 – Montreal, QB @ Pop Montreal/Square St. Louis (Paper Garden Picnic! w/ Darla Farmer)

10/22 – Brooklyn, NY @ CMJ/ Bruar Falls (NYC Taper showcase)

11/7 – New York, NY @ 3^rd Ward (Paper Garden Records Presents: Multiverse Playground – an exploration into the evolution of music, art, and comedy)

• myspace.com/emanuelandthefear
•