This Is It Boys, This Is War: fun. - "Some Nights" (Simon, Garfunkel & Kansas Remix?)

My old college friend Dani was telling me about "Some Nights" a couple weekends ago @ the bar, vaguely describing it's overall style as "Afrobeat." I have to admit, right off the bat, I wasn't entirely convinced... But after a few repeated listens, I was soon convinced that fun. was much more than a mere One Hit Wonder ("We Are Young"). For fun.'s recent [second] album, they enlisted the help of Kanye-affiliated Hip-Hop producer, Jeff Bhasker. Fine-crafted over roughly 9 months, Some Nights was liberated to the masses way back on Feb. 14th; The experimental recording sessions were truly a first for both parties, who generally lean towards opposite ends of the Hip-Hop/Indie Rock spectrum. Currently signed to Fuel By Ramen, fun.'s intricate 3-part sound is made up of Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost, and Jack Antonoff. The band's first album, Aim & Ignite (2009) was highly revered by fans and critics alike.


While it's essentially a complex short film, "Some Nights"' companion music video chronicles a group of Civil War soldiers, ironically backed by a fun. performance, and a story of war-torn love that's DEEPLY affected by the battlefield. It's also worth mentioning that fun. & Jeff Bhasker seamlessly manage to interpolate lines from "99 Luftballoons," as well as soundbite send-ups to both Simon & Garfunkel and Kansas. "Some Nights" is an utterly great Pop composition because it's so [subtly] far-spanning... working in all sorts of studio sheen and instrumentation: background guitar solos, Tribal drum rhythms, and even Auto-Tuned hooks! For the production of their Some Nights project, fun. really decided to step out of their comfort zone... employing Civil War re-enactors for their video shoot, revealing a vast Hip-Hop influence through Jeff Bhasker, and those damn Fela Kuti-inspired thudding "Tribal" [African] drums. Some Nights is now available in record stores nation-wide, for your convenience; It features fun. and a bunch of their Hip-Hop-leaning friends-collaborators including: Janelle Monáe, Jake One, Emile (Kid Cudi), and the lush string work of composer, Larry Gold.