Audio Stream: http://www.myspace.com/fireferns/music-player?sindex=-1.1&artid=42215227

I was away in Brooklyn, visiting a couple old friends, on an impromptu-ish visit this weekend. New York as a whole never ceases to amaze me. The cultural diversity is always impressive. Every type of person appears to be present, and living together. They pass each other on the street, if nothing else. The city is like a giant cultural blender and it spills over into music. I heard Caribbean, hip hop, jug band, accordion and so many other forms of music over the course of a single day, half of it live and freely performed with skill on the streets. It is easy to see why people become intoxicated with the city and can barely comprehend a life anywhere else.

And yet some things are just too much for me. Everything is a bit expensive. Places that are only a few miles away can take an hour to get to. People are everywhere all the time, making for a restlessness that can only be escaped via a small dwelling called home for those who live there. You have access to everything and nothing at the same time. Sure there are diners, restaurants, groceries, and shops of all sorts everywhere, but the one you like or want may be a 20 minute walk or subway ride away. Most places have a sense of being "used". Sometimes it grants a certain character, but other times it just appears worn out. And sometimes it is just dirty like the countless gum spots stuck on the sidewalks.

I was happy to go for the brief time I was there, and then happy to leave again. I live in a small quiet kind of town where the locals all know each other by name. At night you can walk in the middle of the road for a mile, and only occasionally have to step aside for a car to pass. Good luck doing that in Brooklyn.

As part of my trip I went to see Fireferns, a side project of sorts for its two members. They were included in a variety show at Pete's Candy Store, named "Golden Scraps". It was quite a bit of fun to have poetry and spoken word pieces intermixed with theatrics and music, Fireferns performing as one of the many acts. The evening had a fun, impromptu feel to it, making it real and personal. From what I understand, it was the first time Fireferns really performed for an audience of that size, and the first "Golden Scraps". It was also the first time I had spent any time other than a passing visit to Brooklyn. I had so fine a time, hopefully it won't be the last time for any of those things!

Song Recommendations

If you like this song, I also suggest:

• Björk
• Frou Frou
• Ólafur Arnalds

I also suggest the music genre:

• Ambient

Click here for more info on Fireferns – "So Fine".

The song may be heard over and over here…

Fireferns