Record Label: Company House
Genre: Indie
Band Link: link
Buy on Amazon.com link

The Tom Fun Orchestra are a new addition to the growing stable of cluster-rock bands, with nine members playing banjo, accordion, trumpet, you name it. Unlike the shoegazing Brooklyn bands though, TTFO incorporate bluegrass, Tom Waits’ delirium, and Captain Beefheart’s stream-of-conscious poetry. For the most part, they pull it off.

Before that, though, the first song is heady with thumping percussion and lulling instrumentation that sounds like an Arcade Fire clone (except fronted by Beefheart). It’s actually quite good, but gives the impression they’re being derivative. But the second tune, “Rum & Tequila” (how Tom Waits-ish!) has a delirious bluegrass/circus-rock feel that the band largely maintains throughout. Often times, they sound like Gogol Bordello at a country fair, fronted by a boxcar hobo.

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