This group of Brits is sure making the most of the American dream. Since the release of their critically acclaimed debut album, "Reservoir," Fanfarlo has trekked across the U.S., building their fan base and finding just enough time to hang out with Dave Letterman.

Last week, the band was introduced to millions of American viewers, when they brought their jangly, multi-instrumental beauty to the Ed Sullivan Theater.

"Even though we live in the UK, I think Letterman, being such an institution, still manages to be pretty ubiquitous," says Fanfarlo violinist Cathy Lucas. "It was a long day, so we goofed around on the set, chatted with Paul Shaffer and ate cookies. Then all the hours culminate in just over three minutes of footage!"

The only thing better for the band than the cookie-filled preshow was the actual performance. The five-piece looked cool and composed in their 1920s garb as they softly rocked through their mandolin and vibraphone-driven tune "Harold T. Wilkins."

Unfortunately, not all of aspects of the American tours have been equally luxurious. "Our last leg of touring in the US was overwhelmingly snowy. And unbelievably cold," Lucas says.

They had put those memories behind them, however, when they checked in from Southern California. "We're now in San Diego, lounging by the pool." Lucas says the sunny weather has made San Diego their favorite stop on the tour so far, but it has come at a cost. "It has caused [bassist] Justin [Finch] to discover he's a never-nude."

Finch's Tobias Fünke-tendencies are just one of the few things the band has learned about each recently. "Being on the road together seems to bring out the extremes in each person's personality," Lucas says. "The quiet one becomes positively hermetic, the loud one becomes even more obnoxious. We're a bit like a family, so we get everything that comes with it -- love, anger, fisticuffs."

They've also been constantly mining each member's musical strengths, something that's crucial for a band with such intricate arrangements and grand musical ambitions. "We're always working on our current stuff and coming up with new versions of songs," Lucas says. But that's really nothing new. The constant refining of songs and desire to push their own boundaries has been a driving force for Fanfarlo since the band's earliest days.

"That 'Reservoir' was so layered was a really important part of how we thought about those songs. Playing them and demoing them in the lead-up, we were always thinking big. We wanted to make a record where there was a breadth and depth to the sound that would remain interesting listen after listen."

The band now begins the task of formulating a sophomore release. "We've started writing the new record and are playing new songs live. We're trying to create something more spacious, with more emotional contrast. Certainly our arrangements are getting more ambitious in terms of complexity, which to a certain extent is replacing the complexity of the texture you get through layering," Lucas says.

For the time being, however, fans will have to be content with Fanfarlo, the live band. "We've got a lot more touring to do before we can get down to making a new record," Lucas says. "2011, though. Brownie promise."