Franz Nicolay - Major General

Artist: Franz Nicolay

Album: Major General

Label: Fistolo Records LLC

If I hadn't been told that Franz Nicolay was the backing keyboardist in two of my favourite bands, The Hold Steady and The World/Inferno Friendship Society, Major General would have simply passed me by.  I remember thinking, "well he's just the keyboardist with the oddly kempt mustache, not the brains behind either band, how good could this be?"  Well, as it turns out, quite good.  In fact, after listening to the poetic tales of Major General's lively characters, I'm convinced that Nicolay is an essential players in each of his other bands endeavors.

Many reviewers have compared Major General's song structure to The Hold Steady, and from a face value there's a lot of truth to this.  Songs like "Quiet Where I Lie" and "Confessions of an Ineffective Casanova" find Nicolay speed talking his way through a complex story amidst a backdrop of rock guitars and his signature keyboard.  Nicolay's voice however, couldn't be more different from The Hold Steady's Craig Finn.  Where Finn channels a sloppy, near-drunkenness, Nicolay croons his way through the tracks with a punk intensity and tone reminicent of cabaret punk group The World/Inferno Friendship Society's Jack Terricloth.  In fact, Nicolay's The World/Inferno Friendship Society persona shapes Major General just as much as his Hold Steady self.  Pariticularly, this influence shines through on slower tracks.  For example, Nicolay uses unconventional instruments like a banjo on "Hey Dad!" and recorder/clarinet on "Do We Not Live in Dreams?"  Even the piano on "Dead Sailors" creates a moody cabaret atmosphere instantly comparable to The World/Inferno Friendship Society.  

As for the lyrics, I'm not going to pretend to understand half of the things Nicolay says.  Don't get me wrong, his songs each have a brilliant over arching thematic logic, but many of his references are very personal or specific.  For example, The album's opener, "Jeff Penalty (featuring Demander)," gives apologetic nod to the Dead Kennedys' 2003-2008 lead vocalist after his falling out with the band.  But unless you know the history of and the politics surrounding Jeff Penalty, the song's intension is not clear.  That being said, I still found the song quite deep, even without initial knowledge about Penalty - which is a testament to the strength of Nicolay's narratives.  Nicolay also has a few interesting introspective pieces, including "Confessions of an Ineffective Casanova," where he places his own first name in the song's first line.  The song details a deeply personal experience, as well as provides a survey of various influential characters in his personal life, assumedly including a nod to the colourful crew making up The World/Inferno Friendship Society.  Because of the poetic delivery and great honesty in his songs, Nicolay comes across as sincere, rather than self indulgent.

Major General seamlessly mixes Nicolay's influences, combining the cabaret influences of The World/Inferno Friendship Society with The Hold Steady's old fashioned rock sound.  In other words, both styles compliment each other by providing a full spectrum of instruments and tempos.  Combined with lyrics and themes that will take most listeners countless listens to unpack, Major General has given me a deep respect for that "keyboardsist with the oddly kempt mustache."