Fire Through The Window: 'All aglow in what they know' - by Jon MonsoonLife for Durban-based band Fire Through The Window is certainly an exciting place to be right now. Having gone from being something of a hobby/side project for co-singer Marc de la Querra and his long-time girlfriend Sinead Dennis, to being a band on the road with a single riding up the national radio charts, being in demand with the press and developing a terrific live stage act in under twelve months, has certainly taken some getting used to for the couple and their band.FTTW began with Marc (who at the time was in alternative band Nemesis Army) sitting down to pen some pretty, dreamy, romantic, yet catchy if not cheesy, pop love songs to girlfriend Sinead. he then discovered that his girl had quite a voice of her own and so they sat down to write together. Deciding to record them, just for fun, they were quite surprised when witchdoctor Records label boss Shaughn Pieterse suggested he sign them up and release the work of songs they had just recorded!They laughingly agreed and were then faced with thw prospect of doing live shows, together as a band. 'Sinead was a bit of a nervous performer, in the beginning', tells Marc. A few smallish gigs however were all it took to unleash the inner singer who now relishes her part on stage and who wears the role like she was born to it.Durban audiences took to them immediately and to see them play live today is to understand why - pure energy and honest emotion, no hype, no pretence. 'We like to see people at our shows dancing and smiling', says Marc, dispelling any initial fears that their music might be a touch too 'happy'.Their first single 'Just Like You Are' received massive radio play on stations across South Africa, charting at No. 4 on the 5fm Hi5@5 and reaching No.1 on UJFM. The single has also been featured on commercials as the chosen song and video to be used for the first ever Apple iPod television campaign in South Africa, playing across 60 dstv channels, as well as the chosen song for a Mr Price advert in October 2008. Their second single 'Last Week' has also featured as the chosen track for the SL Magazine televsion advert in January 2009. Not too shabby for such a young act!'Our music is feel good music', he says. 'A form of escapism,' adds Sinead. Ah, the romantic comedy of music. 'Our lyrics aren't deep, we tell a story, about ourselves, young love silly fights and awesome nights and I think people can relate to that,' explains Marc. 'I don't think we're necessarily trying to change the world', smiles Sinead. Perhaps it's the presence of both a female and male vocalist that ultimately sets this band apart, like a Johnny Cash and June Carter for our times."Hot new Durban rock sensation FIRE THROUGH THE WINDOW combine the ska-infected punk of The Clash and the vintage garage pop of The Buzzcocks with the contemporary indie stylings of Interpol, Broken Social Scene and The Arcade Fire to create a sweatily infectious sound that is entirely their own."
- The Mail & Guardian"Fronted by Sinead on vocals, with just one guitar, bass and drums, they create a lovely bed of noise pop over which they have draped super sweet melody lines and harmonies. Pulling their punches and using clever song-writing, a crafty use of dynamics and a strong sense of irony instead of sheer grunt, Fire Through The Window have created a rare gem: a band that is truly pop, radio friendly and accessible without being crap, dull and boring."
-David Chislett (www.thechiz.co.za)"Maybe it’s the fact that they’re local, and have built up quite a head of steam as they’ve shunted to prominence in the last 6 months, maybe it’s the fact that all the band members have, at some stage, been in other Durban bands, or maybe it’s the resonance their sound has with the previously mentioned SoCal surf sounds.Maybe it’s just the disarming perky charm of foxy lead singer Sinead and her rather Frank Black-ish partner in rhyme, Marc. Who can say? The crowd at the Willowvale, that’s who – they bounced, they howled, shit – they sang along to every chorus. FTTW, they’re not rock in the sense of thrash and they’re not pop like the candyball cheese that gets lapped up by pre-pubescents on MTV. They’ve a sound and lyric something like The Beautiful South, which bears comparison on the grounds of the call-and-response of the lead duet, but also because of the upbeat licks and straight-down-the-line rhythms and beats. Which is fair enough, because the combo works, and Stone City punters, they smaak them lank."
-Travis Lyle (www.levi.co.za) "Simple, playful rock with enough naive sincerity to melt PW Botha's heart."
- (Speakerbox.co.za)
'Last Week'- music video
Directed by - Michelle Hibbert : [email protected]'Just Like You Are' - music video
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