Fred – Damn You Hollywood

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You know that we at PMA love almost any grandiose, orchestral, too-fun-for-its-own-good pop song. Especially if that song has an “ooo” or an “ahh” in it somewhere.

That said, it’s pretty obvious that we love Fred’s “Damn You Hollywood,” a dynamic, epic track from a band that seems to have quietly garnered tons of attention and acclaim over the past year. Most of this praise has come from the band’s homeland of Ireland, as the album Go God Go has been named best album of 2008 by multiple Irish publications.

But with tracks like “Damn You Hollywood,” it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Fred blew up in the US.

The song, which soundtracked a few minutes of Gossip Girl this week, is filled with the best stuff on earth: not Snapple, but instead blaring horns, soulful piano, clever lyrics, and of course, a memorable, hummable “ooo” as a wordless chorus of sorts. Its Broadway flair recalls the flamboyance of Fun., its hooks and melodies recall the joy of the Wombats, and its thrilling horn section recall “big bands” of another era.

“Damn You Hollywood” is an exceptional song, and the band’s other offerings on its MySpace page (check out the fantastic “Running”) suggest that Fred has nowhere to go but up.

Fred – Damn You Hollywood

by Adam Offitzer on November 5, 2009 ‡ 0 reactions