Not to be confused with anything Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey related, the self-proclaimed “Afro-slash-pop” group, Fool’s Gold, is picking up much traction these days. The five-piece sonance collective showcased their cultured sound while headlining for the long anticipated Red Hot Chili Peppers 2011 European tour. Given their take on African music, indigenous yet á la mode, Fool’s Gold is beginning to accumulate a reputable character and cosmopolitan fan base all the same. Despite the fact, a notable sculpting of their signature sound has materialized throughout their chronology since 2007; Fool’s Gold to Leave No Trace, these guys have attained a collaborative nirvana through positive narcissism in a euphonious self-realization.
Originating in Los Angeles, California, what came to be known as Fool’s Gold is the product of Israeli emigrant Luke Top and California native, Lewis Pesacov’s shared love of African music. Top, a vocalist and bassist, and guitarist Pesacov assembled a twelve member band consisting of established musicians to construct the sound they had envisioned. On their self-titled debut album, Top’s Israeli influence reigned lyrically, as he sang chiefly in Hebrew, only partially in English; because of so, the album became more so a personal journey for him through decoding a culture from which he then felt estranged. The album entered the refreshingly unfamiliar domain of Organic P-Funk.
Considering the Western audience’s distant comprehension of both their Hebrew lyrics and African sound, the communal Fool’s Gold experience was originally centered around the band’s “jam” factor. Today, on the contrary, the Fool’s Gold image has taken a directional shift in its defining ingredient. While still maintaining a Western touch on African roots music, the band has integrated more English lyrics, and subtracted seven group members from the initial twelve, which in turn reflected the more concise, synth-sahara feel on their most recent album, Leave No Trace.
In light of their refined band structure and worldly sounds, Fool’s Gold could ask for no better reward than headlining for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. On touring, Pesacov claims this one “the most incredible tour [we’ve] ever been on in our entire lives.” From their “great fans” in Paris to the “dancy” Dutch, Europe, he says, is “always fun.” Pesacov admits to favoring smaller, more “intimate” venues, wherein “you connect and everybody’s alive when [they’re] playing music,” but the band is happy to play for anyone who appreciates music whether it be a large or small venue.
The music community has only known Fool’s Gold for a mere five years, but the clan has far from failed in connecting with its fans across the world; from California to Israel to Europe, the globetrotting Fool’s Gold remains ever libatious on the ears and light on their feet with their newfound unparalleled complexion, as best dictated in their latest release, Leave No Trace.
