Fitzsimon and Brogan (FaB) unleash Blondie-hued single 'Flowers At Her Door'

Reviewed by Nika Kretov

With their latest single, ‘Flowers at Her Door,’ UK indie duo Fitzsimon and Brogan (FaB) make a triumphant return, delivering a vibrant slice of power pop that feels both timeless and perfectly suited for the modern ear. The vocals are the undeniable centerpiece, commanding attention with a confident and dynamic delivery. Her voice possesses a captivating texture that evokes the powerful frontwomen of the late ’70s and early ’80s.

The track’s infectious energy and catchy chorus will immediately resonate with fans of Blondie, while its artful indie sensibility and clever melodic turns bring to mind the brilliant quirk of Martha and The Muffins and Rough Trade. There’s a spirited, rebellious charm to it all, akin to the swagger of the Divinyls and the fun-loving pop hooks of Josie Cotton. However, this is more than just a throwback. Released through Booster Music WTPL France, this single was recorded at FaB Productions, this single was co-produced, mixed and mastered by Martin Smith (Electric Light Orchestra, Shakin’ Stevens) at Garage Studios in London.

FaB is made up of songwriter Neil Fitzsimon and vocalist Bee Brogan, both members of the Sony-licensed band Pretty Blue Gun, who went on to form the London-based writing-production partnership FaB Productions. A well-honed songwriting and production team, the music and lyrics for ‘Flowers at Her Door’ are written by Fitzsimon, with Brogan handling vocals, keyboards, drums and engineering.

“‘Flowers At Her Door’ was inspired by the Ridley Scott film “The Duellists”, which depicts the Napoleonic wars and that particular film portrayed decadence, glamour and cruelty in equal measure,” says Neil Fitzsimon.

“We’re trying to achieve the standard of the songwriting of the 1960s/1970s for a modern-day audience. My style of writing is old-school, with namely a guitar and a blank page. I give myself 45 minutes to work on a new song and if nothing comes, I’ll put the guitar down and go back to it the following day. It’s amazing how things that seemed insurmountable can then become vividly clear 24 hours later.”

Reviewed by Nika Kretov

This new single follows FaB’s latest album ‘This Wicked Pantomime’, which was co-produced by Pat Collier (Katrina and the Waves, Primal Scream, Maximo Park) at Perry Vale Studios, London and involved dummer Woody Woodmansey (David Bowie Spider’s from Mars), as well as Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas. Check out that full album below.

Prior to that, FaB released four well-received albums, including ‘Venus in Reverse’ (2011), ‘His Latest Squeeze’ (2015), ‘Big Blue World’ (2018) and ‘The Girl Who Shouted Love at the Heart of the World’ (2019), which involved members of The Art of Noise, Eric Clapton bass player Dave Bronze, Moody Blues’ Tobias Boshell and Pip Williams (Walker Brothers).

Having toured nationally across the UK and with song placements in Film and TV, they also wrote the musical ‘Jack Dagger’, which was showcased at the Greenwich Theatre, London for the Musical Futures Award, and also at the Bridewell and the Royal College of Music in London. With chart success in France, Belgium, and South Africa—and a song featured in a U.S. sci-fi film—the band is making waves on every front.

A studio act in the vein of Talk Talk or Tin Tin Out, Fitzsimon and Brogan cleverly blends elements of classic 60s and 70s pop-rock with a modern, energetic and uplifting feel. Fun and charismatic, FaB offers a refreshing alternative to mainstream pop.

As of August 27, ‘Flowers at Her Door’ is available from fine music platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify.

CREDITS
Music and Lyrics by Neil Fitzsimon
All guitars, bass played by Neil Fitzsimon
Vocals, keyboards and engineering by Bee Brogan
Recorded and produced by FaB Productions, London
Mixed and mastered by Martin Smith at Garage Studios, London
Cover artwork by FaB Productions
All songs released via Booster Music WTPL, France
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR