The FAT Website est. 1999
Apparently everyone has been talking about his band for months and I was the last one to the party. I guess that’s what I get for not watching Gossip Girl.
Amazon actually recommended this to me (and for once was actually right). This album is brilliant. Sounding like an amalgamation of Nirvana, The Hives, Weezer (circa Pinkerton) and Brand New, the record is a fuzzy and urgent. The band manages to create hooks where there didn’t appear to be any.
Vocalist Andy Hull shreds every inch of his vocal chords on “Shake It Out” before positively swooning all over “I’ve Got Friends” recreating the vocal dynamics of Brand New’s Jesse Lacy.
“Pride” then comes right out of left field and sludges and drags through a Sabbath-esque riff for well over 5 minutes, creating the only real clunker of the album.
Luckily all is saved by “I Can Feel A Hot One” (previously released on the EP Let My Pride Be Whats Left Behind). One of the most mellow on the album, Andy Hulls vocals shine throughout and lyrically one of the highlights with lines like “”Pray for what I thought were angels/Ended up being ambulances.”
The penultimate track “Everything to Nothing” is another highlight and Hull screams “You/Mean/Everything/To nobody/But Me” before slowing the guitar work down into a queen like guitar solo.
A truly great album that reassures you that in this world where everyone has a hummingbird attention span, there are still bands out there making music fascinating enough for repeated listens over and over.
Recommended If You Like: Nirvana, Silversun Pickups, The Pixies, Brand New
