Members
Fi Claus: vocals (live), telecaster electric, nylon acoustic and electric bass guitars (live), cello, violin, glockenspiel, harmonium, train whistle
Rhythm section boys (at shows listed as 'band format')
Pete Bosworth (Drums & Backing Vocals) &
Per Stenbeck (Bass & Backing Vocals) Search newherenowlive.com for Fi Claus Biography
"The story goes that a record label exec once told Jack White that you couldn't have a hit with a song that was only two minutes in length. White then took the exec to the nearest record store and showed him the Buddy Holly section. That same analogy can be applied to the 11 gorgeous songs that grace Fi Claus' debut solo album Bijoux" (Justin Grey, TIMEOFF), which, along with it's new radio single Get It, this Bris/Melb/Syd/Western NSW girl is Launching around Australia December 2008 to March 2009.
From an album that Miss Ward from Brisbane's SCENE MAGAZINE calls "decidedly catchy, lighthearted and summery", and about which Bill Holdsworth from RAVE MAGAZINE says "what shines through here is the warmth of these songs", Get It is the perfect radio single to coincide with its summer release- cute and extremely catchy on first listen, then intricately layered both in parts and semantics on further spins- to give not only immediacy by grower status as well. With lines like "if you want me come and find me, I’m not standing still…", it sounds like Fi is being a bit coquettish in relationship beginnings, but it also has meanings on other levels- she originally wrote it as a message to herself from her music ambitions, which have been very prominent in her mind (together with that of Co-Manager Chrissie Vincent) over the past year –getting iTunes Singles out there in the lead up to releasing Bijoux.
Fi's debut single Come Home (which saw her film clip on RAGE and rave reviews around Australia August 2007, including SINGLE OF THE WEEK in BEAT (Melb) and RAVE (Bris) magazines, top spot in INPRESS's (Melb) HOWZAT! playlist, mX paper calling Fi "a phenomenal Brisbane talent", and www.mercedes-benz.tv/mixedtape presenting Fi as one of their "Best of 2008" acts) was almost a link between her former acoustic duo Gorgeous (featuring national and community radio favourites like Whenever It Rains) and her new self-titled outfit. Her new Single, Get It, takes her firmly into the Bijoux realm of Aus pop rock…or as Adelaide's dB Magazine puts it, "alt pop-rock treasure". Fi's "sweet-sounding and quirky vocals" (Tessie Vanderwert, THE AGE) are instantly recognizable on Get It, dancing over her telecaster electric guitar, Andy Sylvio's (Pete Murray) fun drums and James O'Brien's (The Boat People) bouncy bass.
Claus's work has lead established music writers like Jeff Jenkins (INPRESS) to call her Bijoux songs "instant and infectious", and Justin Grey (TIMEOFF) to note that "the songs prove as deep as they are breezy thanks to their irresistible arrangements". As such quotes suggest, Bijoux (French for gems or cute things) is melodically fulfilling and ever-intruiging: the disc clocks in just over the 25 minute minimum for title 'longplayer' - but the 11 songs featured pack a huge concentration of captivating energy and ideas into their interlocking vocal and instrument production. It doesn't hurt that Fi Claus not only has a "sugar spun voice" (Simone Ubaldi, BEAT), but she also wrote and produced all tracks (except the song Please Please, produced by Pete Murray), playing telecaster electric and nylon acoustic guitars, glockenspiel, cellos, violins, harmonium organ and train whistle, as well as writing parts for trumpet (played by Liam Griffin) and vocal harmonies (including one sung by Pete Murray). Then there are her intelligently simple lyrics, distinctively melody driven guitar, and that combination of no song sounding alike, but all clearly redolent of the album...
Bijoux was recorded by hot young thing Matt Redlich (Massive Studios, Brisbane), who learnt his beautiful know-how from Brisbane's sonic guru Joe Malone (JLM Audio; makes specialized equipment for major rock acts in Australia like John Butler, Wolfmother etc, as well as consoles, pre-amps, compressors and speakers for studios and galleries around the world). Bijoux was mixed by the very amazing Anthony Lycenko (Rockinghorse Studios, Byron Bay) and mastered by Studio 301 legend Steve Smart in Sydney. Pete Murray kindly sat in on mixing and mastering as well, so the album's sound has an incredible array of Aus industry input.
Fi Claus will Tour Australia December 2008 to March 2009 to Nationally Launch Bijoux. As Justin Grey (TIMEOFF) puts it: "Bijoux is a great introduction to an exceptional new talent on the Australian scene", and "definitely one of 2008's best pop releases" according to Jeff Jenkins (INPRESS, 3RRRfm, JB Hi-Fi Mag)), so make sure you get your exclusive early copy of the album at a Bijoux Album Launch Tour Show, the first 200 of which will be signed and numbered as a strictly Limited Edition (Bijoux is also available on iTunes from January 2009, and in stores through MGM 7 March 2009)!!
"...a songwriter destined to make a big impact on the Queensland, Australian and International Scenes"
Matt Connors, CM2 Editor - THE COURIER MAIL Fi Claus Website:
http://www.ficlaus.com/ Fi Claus Releases
Come Home (iTunes Single)
Released: 17/07/07
I'll Be Spending (iTunes Single)
Released: 24/12/07
Bijoux (Debut Album on iTunes & in stores)
Released: 07/03/09
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