Pitchfork

Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy and Zach Condon of Beirut are both young, cosmopolitan singer-songwriters whose primary instruments aren't out of rock's typical toolbox. Pallett arranged strings for Beirut's new album, The Flying Club Cup, and covered its song "Cliquot". Pallett and Condon also played together alongside the Arcade Fire this spring in New York. Condon returns the favor for Final Fantasy's latest release, part of Tomlab's Alphabet Series of 7" singles.

While Pallett recorded both side of the single in Montreal with Condon, it's not easy on longtime Final Fantasy live favorite "Hey Dad" to see where Pallett's work ends and Condon's might begin. The track opens with impressionistic, Debussy-like orchestration, which shifts into a bustling, telegraph-like rhythm as Pallett's theatrical croon enters. "Dear son, should I be a proud one?" Pallett sings at one point, voicing the father's reply to his "pretentious" child. Proud enough by now, sure, though if the old man didn't love Final Fantasy by He Poos Clouds, then this one might not change his mind.

Stream:> Final Fantasy: "Hey Dad"
[from the Alphabet Series X 7"; due 11/20/07 on Tomlab]