– New album ‘Fairweather Friend’ out now on Tough Love/Slumberland
Jangly poptastic tunes all the way from San Francisco. Give it a listen and find European dates below.
The Umbrellas are four renegade romantics crafting irresistible indie pop hymns. The band’s self-titled 2021 debut album became a breakout moment, winning critical praise and sparking an international tour. Follow-up LP ‘Fairweather Friend’ goes a step further – absorbing the sonic attack of their live shows, it balances this with studio finesse, allowing the San Francisco four-piece to become the band they’ve always aspired to be.
A lean 10 track affair, ‘Fairweather Friend’ grasps towards beatific pop while fuelled by a sense of risk, and the precision that comes from long months on the road. The Umbrellas coalesced around a group of musicians who would frequent legendary San Francisco record emporium Amoeba Music. Singer and guitarist Matt Ferrera links with bassist Nick Oka, while Keith Frerichs is the powerhouse drummer. A chance encounter with Morgan Stanley singing karaoke at a Fourth of July party cemented the line-up around an avowed thirst for melody. “All of us love really earnest pop songs,” Nick points out. “I guess we got to a point in our lives where we wanted to be genuine.”
Playing shows at San Francisco’s vital DIY redoubt Hit Gallery, The Umbrellas would share line-ups with local heroes such as April Magazine and Cindy. Recording their debut album across a two-day spell at Matt’s parents’ house, the results won a devoted cult following. Yet the experience of touring bonded them tightly and allowed the volume to tick up a little higher, and higher, and higher. “I think we got tired of people saying, oh you’re so much louder than I thought you’d be!” laughs Matt. “Our early recordings are sweet and earnest… and we wanted it to be louder.”
Kicking off sessions in November 2022, the band used an ad hoc space Matt created in his basement, working across a four-month period. Sessions were a little more relaxed in terms of timescale than their debut, but The Umbrellas were incredibly focussed on the project. “We gave ourselves more space for this album,” says Keith. “We wanted time to sit on the songs, and really work on them.” Allowing their live dynamic to bleed out on tape, The Umbrellas are at once more physical and yet also more controlled on their new album.
Taken as a whole ‘Fairweather Friend’ is a bold indie pop triumph, crafted with purpose and attention. Taking their time over each note, the four-piece have strengthened their song-writing, adding depth and assurance while unlocking their potential. Some bonds last a lifetime – The Umbrellas are ready to capture your heart
The Umbrellas European tour dates:
Mar 2nd – Madrid, ES – Madrid Pop Fest
Mar 5th – Newport – Le Pub
Mar 6th – Coventry – Just Dropped In Records
Mar 7th – Manchester – Gullivers
Mar 8th – Leeds – Wharf Chambers
Mar 9th – Glasgow – Mono
Mar 10th – Newcastle – Bobiks
Mar 11th – York – The Fulford Arms
Mar 12th – Nottingham – JT Soar
Mar 13th – London – Oslo
Mar 14th – Oxford – Common Ground
Mar 16th – Paris, FR – Supersonic Records
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