Opening for Matt Maltese on his 2024 North America tour is indie pop duo The Army, The Navy. Composed of childhood friends Sasha Goldberg and Maia Ciambriello, this New Orleans-based pair recently released their first studio album titled Fruit for Flies. Clocking in at just around 23 minutes long, this short collection still manages to pack a sweet punch. Each song is different from the next, but they are all tied together through the pacifying harmonies of Goldberg and Ciambriello, making a listening experience that is simultaneously engaging and soothing.
Highlights off the album include the mystical opening song “Play The Music,” in which the duo provide a dream-like introduction to the project with a soft acoustic guitar and layered vocals. This brings the listener into the ethereal mountainside setting described in the lyrics, creating a serene feeling which is heightened by a smooth saxophone line. “BBIDGI” (Baby I Don’t Get It), the third track on the project, provides a nice change of pace with its pseudo-bossa nova style and finger-picked guitar. Slightly more textured than the first song, “BBIDGI” still maintains the simple yet effective and gentle harmonies that are characteristic of the duo. “Vienna (In Memoriam)” was the last single they released before the full album, and is the most popular song off the project for good reason. While it is an ode to the rat that lived in their house before being killed by their cat, the recording is more beautiful and heartfelt than its backstory might imply. In this track, their songwriting skills are on full display, creating an authentic heartfelt tribute for the rodent. For example, they write, “And god I’ve lived a lifetime/Because I’m big and tall/But who am I to kill for/The crime of being small.” Another personal favorite is “Persimmon”, which boasts of an incredibly simple production with seemingly effortless harmonies à la “Cool About It” by boygenius.
The album’s cohesiveness lies in The Army, The Navy’s vulnerable lyricism and relatively laid-back production, making it a perfect companion to doing schoolwork or just chilling. If you have half an hour to spare, listening to Fruit for Flies is sure to be time well spent.
Flo Bendersky is a freshman in the College majoring in American Studies. She is very, very afraid of the Middle Ages.
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