Album Review: Fargo - Strangers D'Amour
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Occasionally its good to move away from the firestorm of metal and dip the toe into the wider (rock) pool. The sixth album by Hanover trio Fargo provided an opportunity to relax and enjoy the quality of the three musicians who have been plying their trade in various guises almost as long as I have been alive.
Fargo formed in the early 1970s, released their debut record ‘Wishing Well’ in 1979, with three further albums following before they split in 1984, with Peter Knorn moving on to the classic rock outfit Victory until 2011 (the band features amongst others, Herman Frank who was guitarist with Accept). Reforming Fargo in 2017, the trio, completed by Peter Ladwig on guitar and vocals and drummer Nikolas Fritz, released ‘Constellation’ in 2018.
Strangers D’Amour is polished. It’s chrome edges gleam in the sun. 43 minutes of laid-back classic rock, which sees plenty of diversity whilst retaining that harmonic, melodic approach that has long been the band’s trademark. There is the driving rock/pop of songs like ‘Law of the Jungle’, the foot stomping ‘Gimme That Bone’ with some delicious Hammond organ adding a lush layer, and the expansive blues work out of ‘Time’ with its brooding feel.
Fargo can do the slower ballad as well, with ‘Homesick’ showing the band’s gentler side all the while allowing the quality of the musicianship to permeate through. Some of the tracks have slightly off the wall titles, with ‘Car Expert’ possibly my favourite, recounting the exploits of a lady of ill repute on the back seat of various makes and models. It’s throwaway stuff but it does bring a smile to the face, which can’t be a bad thing.
This isn’t going to pull up any trees but Fargo do what they do very well. It’s an enjoyable album with some neat playing, with the bluesy guitar work of Ladwig particularly impressive.
