Totally greatness. This is the self titled debut full length from Fang Island, and their sound has been self-described as “everyone high-fiving everyone”, and that pretty much sums it up perfectly right there. They have managed to fit more over the top and awesome guitar riffs and organ solos into a fairly short album than any I have heard in some time. There are 70s REO Speedwagon/Kansas style vocal balladry mixed with Arcade Fire/etc style bombastic vocal/choral shouting/singing all backed by insane guitar and organ riffs. It really does make you want to just pump your fist and start high-fiving everyone. No doubt about it. All kidding aside though, the album really does have all of these things, but what makes it great is that it doesn’t really relegate itself as some form of self-parody or mockery, it takes all of those things and puts them together in an undeniably catchy and supremely well put together album. It stands on its own outside of the obvious stylistic cues throughout and is really a great album all its own.
The album certainly borrows heavily from some of the cheesier aspects of music history, with 70s power ballads and 80s movie soundtracks somewhat influencing, but ultimately they manage to create a style that is much more interesting, and much more fist pump and high five inducing. It’s like a mash up of every anime/Top Gun/80s soundtrack you think you remember hearing as a kid, except way better. The album feels less like a 10 track album with individual songs than one cohesive 40 minute guitar and organ solo. It is great to listen to and the way the Nintendo fireworks sound effects bookend the album you really listen to it from start to finish then it goes right back into Track 1 straight away, it is an endless loop of awesome.
If I did have to narrow down some standout tracks certainly “Daisy”, “Life Coach”, “The Illinois” and “Davy Crockett” woudl jump to mind immediately. But then again, you really can’t pick one track over another because it all works together perfectly and really can you have “Daisy” without the “Dreams of Dreams”/”Careful Crossers” powerhouse intro of the album? No you cannot. You also have excellent transitions of styles throughout songs such as the organ/shouting bridge of “Sideswiper” which leads into the 70s/80s hair rock acoustic guitar staple breakdown which leads back into an indie, double-picking guitar solo noise rock out. Awesome.
The vocals on the album are pretty limited to epic choral shout/singing at the most strategically epic parts of each song, and then the album is largely instrumental aside from that. The guitars and the organs/synths are the focus of the album to a large part and the dexterous finger-tapping solos and keyboard gymnastics being performed just take the record to new heights. There is not a great deal of traditional rock song structure, but there is a huge amount of musical complexity and technicality which makes it, as the band has said themselves, “music for people who like music”. A simple idea, but truly triumphant in execution, they have created a whole new world of the ultimate triumphant power jam and hopefully this is not the last we will hear of these guys, I’m sure it will not be.
In a modern landscape of music where much un-hip 80s territory is being mined for updated musical gold, this is another great example of a band taking some killer ideas and bringing them to the masses in an updated, better and more interesting and developed form. Because sometimes you just have to high-five EVERYONE, and Fang Island proves it to you throughout this record.
BV Rate: 84
Also, good news this week, as Fang Island has announced a show at Rubber Gloves in Denton on May 19th. Be there.
Fang Island – Daisy – From Fang Island (CD, MP3, iTunes)
Fang Island – The Illinois – From Fang Island (CD, MP3, iTunes)
