Fingers Crossed (album)

Fingers Crossed
Studio album by
Architecture in Helsinki
Released9 February 2003 (2003-02-09)
Recorded14 July 2001 – 18 December 2002
StudioSuper Melody World, Melbourne
GenreIndie pop
Length37:21
LabelTrifekta
ProducerCameron Bird
Architecture in Helsinki chronology
Fingers Crossed
(2003) 		In Case We Die
(2005)

Fingers Crossed is the debut studio album by Australian indie pop band Architecture in Helsinki, which was released on 9 February 2003 by independent record label Trifekta.

It is known especially for its gentle, high-pitched synthesizers and an ambitiously wide array of musical instruments, many unconventional and prominent.[1] The instruments used include glockenspiel, woodwinds, xylophone, flute, four different kinds of guitar, trumpet, tuba, trombone, melodica, thumb piano, clarinet, recorder, bass, and various drums and percussion including hand claps, finger snaps, and the taps of tap shoes.[1] It also uses a variety of voices, mainly in gender and age.

In 2007, "Souvenirs" received attention for its use in a Sprint Nextel commercial.,[2] and in 2009 excerpts from the song were used in a popular commercial for Fanta in the United Kingdom.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
BigYawn7.7/10[3]
Pitchfork8.2/10[4]
Prefix Mag[5]
Stylus MagazineD−[6]

AllMusic's Heather Phares felt the album showed a "very appealing collage of electronic and indie pop."[1] Dan of BigYawn initially "had some trouble deciding whether or not I really enjoyed the debut album" but ultimately declared "The songs are catchy enough, and their unique instrumentation and feel for textured sounds show great promise."[3] Jenny Yuen of Prefix Mag noted "[it] should be categorized as a kids' soundtrack. It captures innocence at its best moments by using a ridiculous number of instruments (thirty-one, to be exact) that could keep a marching band happy, all of which makes up fourteen very shiny and happy songs."[5] However, Stylus Magazine's Akiva Gottlieb "[found] their puerile, psychologically regressive child's play boring and self-absorbed".[6]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."One Heavy February"0:59
2."Souvenirs"2:26
3."Imaginary Ordinary"2:17
4."Scissor Paper Rock"2:30
5."To and Fro"2:33
6."Spring 2008"2:52
7."The Owls Go"3:35
8."Fumble"3:07
9."Kindling"1:49
10."It's Almost a Trap"2:22
11."Like a Call"3:06
12."Where You've Been Hiding"2:41
13."City Calm Down"2:50
14."Vanishing"4:13

References

  1. ^ a b c d Phares, Heather. "Fingers Crossed – Architecture in Helsinki". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  2. ^ You Ain't No Picasso noting of commercial use of AiH Archived 6 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine, youaintnopicasso.com, retrieved 2-25-08
  3. ^ a b Dan (1 December 2004). "Architecture in Helsinki – Fingers Crossed". BigYawn. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  4. ^ Petrusich, Amanda (19 April 2004). "Architecture in Helsinki – Fingers Crossed". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 18 December 2008. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  5. ^ a b Yuen, Jenny (6 April 2004). "Architecture in Helsinki – Fingers Crossed". Prefix Mag. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  6. ^ a b Gottlieb, Akiva (10 June 2004). "Architecture in Helsinki – Fingers Crossed". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2011.