Sophie's Floorboard: The Fire Theft

The Fire Theft were a three-piece indie rock band from Seattle, Washington that formed in 2001 and have been on indefinite hiatus since 2004. Notably, this band was formed by three-quarters of the quintessential Sunny Day Real Estate line-up, including guitarist/vocalist Jeremy Enigk, bassist Nate Mendel, and drummer William Goldsmith. The Fire Theft was formed immediately after SDRE split for the second time, with Mendel rejoining his former bandmates after having joined the Foo Fighters following SDRE's first split. Under this moniker, they released one full-length in 2003, alongside one single. Since the reformation of SDRE in 2009, it's doubtful this project will be ever picked up again, though no definite word has been given on the matter.

Sonically, this is a pretty notable departure from the sound we've come to know these guys for. There's plenty of lush, arpeggiated melodic guitars, and Enigk's distinct vocal falsetto but with some added instrumentation coming in to the fold (synths, xylophones, strings, etc.) and some odd time signatures being utilized. There's also multiple atmospheric, ambient interludes throughout the album, breaking up some of the heavier-hitting moments. Bands like Gensis and Yes have been pointed to as influences, as though it's definitely noticeable, it's a little overblown to make any direct comparisons. It's a solid album, though admittedly not one I really check in on, and I would take any SDRE album over this. Having said that, it's still worth sharing and checking out if you're a massive fan of theirs and want to hear what they were up during on of their multiple interims. Enjoy.