Civil Society is proud to announce the debut tour of London based collective Fanfarlo on the back of their new album, ‘Reservoir’ (Out June 18 on Warner Music).

The fact that the album’s inspiration lies largely in frontman Simon Balthazar’s somewhat obsessive fixation on reservoirs (yes, those man-made water bodies), perhaps goes some way to explaining the bands style, and writing process. Passion and obsession colliding with mind and matter form a recurrent theme for Fanfarlo. Aging instruments are brought back to life with a creaking aching beauty, echoed in the correspondingly curious collection of characters that comprise the band.

Cathy Lucas (violin, keyboard, vox), Justin Finch (bass), Amos Memon (drums) and Leon Beckenham (trumpet, keyboard) approach their respective instruments as a starting point, often supplementing them with an unexpected medley of experimental paraphernalia ¬¬ including saws, clarinets, cellos, mandolins, ukuleles, melodicas, hands clapping and feet stomping.

“I always try to write accessible lyrics that people will get and understand, but it always ends up impenetrable,” explains Balthazar, “then I attempt to write deep, serious and difficult music, and somehow it keeps coming out as pop.”

For Fanfarlo it is a nice problem to have. The wonderfully bewildering array of characters and scenes on ‘Reservoir’ comes laden with memorable hooks. Recorded over a month and a half with Peter Katis (The National, Interpol) at his home studio in Connecticut, it is has been a formative process for the band.

The effect this chapter has had on the band is considerable. The success of their early singles in the blogosphere appear almost insignificant when compared to the leaps and bounds made in those few shorts weeks with Katis. Working with Peter was the first opportunity to properly explore what this full band could achieve.

“I always thought big with this band” muses Simon. “… it’s an amazing relief to be able to say, yes, this is what it should sound like.”

In support of the release of ‘Reservoir’, Fanfarlo will perform 2 solo shows in Sydney and Melbourne, in addition to their appearance at Splendour In The Grass 2010. Don’t miss the chance to see these impetuous artisans play their spirited vignettes for the first time in Australia.