On "IFC," Neil Friedlander turns suffering into a serenade, transforming the darkest period of his life into a sunlit reverie with enough energy to act as an emotional anthemic garage rock throwback. The reflective songwriter takes a creative leap with an album that combines the intimacy of indie rock with the grit of alternative and pop rock.
"IFC" was born out of an intense desire for comfort in the midst of a very dark time. Residing in his landlord-tormented, rodent-infested pleasure palace with only the dimmest regard for his surroundings, Friedlander has sought salvation not in his present circumstances, so much as in memories, laughter, warmth, and chaos from a once-close circle of friends during his previous restaurant days. And it was through those memories that he found a lifeboat.
The track is a sensory time machine, encapsulating the shimmering haze of beach days, wild nights, and ephemeral youth. The longing comes through in every chord, a battle between the weight of the present and the warmth of the past. A taste of his album, "The Change," "IFC" is that project in miniature. It is a movement from despair to rekindling, isolation to connection. But Friedlander turns his pain into a joyous communal celebration, evidence that even in the darkest hours, joy can reemerge through memory and melody. "IFC" is a summer post-storm soundtracked, loud, liberating, and so very human.
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