这个澳大利亚的Indie Pop八人团体Architecture in Helsinki全都来自墨尔本的菲茨罗伊（Fitzroy），这八人分别是Cameron Bird（多乐器演奏家）、James Cecil、Gus Franklin、Isobel Knowles、Jamie Mildren、 Sam Perry、Tara Shackell以及Kellie Sutherland。这支乐队的音乐作品中所使用的乐器甚至比其成员数还多，这些不同多样的乐器有模拟合成器及采样器、钟琴（glockenspiel）、大号（Tuba）、竖笛（Clarinet），此外当然还有吉他、贝司、鼓和相应的录音设备。Architecture in Helsinki乐队2000年组建，其音乐风格游走于Indie、电子和流行，并偶尔会有现场演绎。乐队在2002年开始录制其处女作《Fingers Crossed》，其录音地点包括了从沙滩小屋到正规录音室等诸多场所，该专辑已由Bar None唱片公司于2004年春发行 Architecture in Helsinki struck gold in their very first release.The Aussie octet sound remarkably polished here, with their mix of twee pop and nonsensical writing -- imagine a three-way between Fiery Furnaces, Arcade Fire and Belle & Sebastian. The result might sound something like the deceptively cute "Fingers Crossed." The intro "One Heavy February" errs on the side of twee, with catchy synths and lots of handclaps. Then it switches into the twinkly guitar pop of "Souvenirs," which sounds sweetly innocent at first. But listen more carefully to what Kellie Sutherland sings. "I've got souvenirs/but yesterday can't mean too much/have we missed an opportunity?" she sings sadly. "For what once was gold/ and once was rich/now is poor." That sound of poignant innocence permeates the entire album, over music so exuberant, warped and playful that it's enchanting. The general sound is that of guitar pop laid over thickly with keyboard, horns, and more handclaps. They also veer into childlike whimsy in songs like "Spring 2008," and a clarinet at the start of "Imaginary Ordinary." But the songs slowly lose their more innocent vibe, sounding more and more melody. Even the catchy upbeat "Fumble" and childlike "Where You Been Hiding" sound melancholy. It's a bit like growing up -- life may still be beautiful, but you gradually lose your innocence and unbridled joy. By the end, we have Sutherland and Cameron Bird wistfully asking "where you been hiding?" Writer/musician/vocalist Cameron Bird reportedly said that "Fingers Crossed" was the sound of a band figuring out what they wants to do. That explains why they have the musical naivete of a band just doing what they want to do, without imitation or preconceptions. So no matter how poignant, it's amazing music. With eight band members, Architecture in Helsinki gets to really include a lot of instrumentation -- sparkling keyboard, guitar, drum and bass. But they also include instruments like clarinet, trumpet, trombone and tuba, which add a circusy note. Just try to find other pop music that has that kind of robust brass. And songwriter Bird makes truly amazing lyrics. At first glance, they don't seem to make much sense ("Found a flaw in the ending of a book that I've read twice/I set her straight, it's not based on your life"). But after awhile, the gleefully strange lyrics do start to make sense, as Bird and Sutherland interweave their high, delicate voices and sing about how "I wrote you a letter in capital letters/saying all that I care for, all that I care for is..." Architecture in Helsinki are one of the most promising pop bands in years, and "Fingers Crossed" is definitely worth having, for anyone who likes the idea of an Arcade Fire/Belle & Sebastian cross.