Nordie But Nice

LaFaro are one of those bands who have been quietly slogging away for years and are now seeing all their hard work pay off. They also happen to be signed to top North of the border record label Small Town America, home to leading local acts And So I Watch You From Afar and Fighting With Wire. Not surprisingly, the comparisons have come thick and fast.
"It so happens that we're on the same label and we're from the same part of the country. We're all totally different bands," insists lead singer Johnny Black. "I don't think anyone in Belfast would make the comparison."
LaFaro's sound has evolved organically over the past six years. Formed in 2004 as a three-piece, the band lost Anna Fitzsimons after she moved to England and opportunities to write and rehearse came few and far between. With great change came a great opportunity though and the band called upon the services of Dave (guitar) and Herb (bass).
"We were big fans of LaFaro before we got the draft," says Dave. "It was really exciting to be working with them."
The feeling was mutual for Johnny: "I felt like I'd gotten the band I always wanted."
Newly invigorated, the quartet set about composing and recording their self-titled debut, released last month.
"We found writing relatively easy. It was definitely important to strike a balance between writing and playing. We also needed to allow each person to add their own unique touches," says Johnny.
Convulsing with blistering riffs and Black's snarled vocals, LaFaro is very much a record created on instinct, appealing to the darker side of the human conscience.
It's a sound that has won the band a whole host of influential fans, with Britain's Zane Lowe giving them numerous plays and mentions on his show and album opener 'Tupenny Nudger' picking up the award for Best Northern Irish Song of the Past Five Years – beating off competition from the likes of Snow Patrol and Ash. It also won the band a 4-star review in a recent addition of Hot Press.
The group recorded the album in Bangor College, where they all met and hope to set about working on their second LP when they finish touring in July.
"It's difficult to write as you tour," says Dave, "but you do find that you might come up with things during the soundcheck, in between the engineer shouting at Alan to set up his drums properly."
Johnny agrees that it can be difficult to come up with new material on the road. He adds that he can't wait to get stuck into the challenge of recording again.
"Whatever we create and however we create it, I know I'll be proud of it because I know it'll be our record and stay true to our sound."