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Fear of Life
Barnes and Noble
Fear of Life
Current price: $14.99
Barnes and Noble
Fear of Life
Current price: $14.99
Size: CD
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With each album,
move further away from their post-hardcore roots -- the band includes former members of
and
-- and further into a more unusual niche. As on their debut
,
sound more visceral on
than many post-punk-inspired acts, yet more pensive and philosophical than some bands influenced by hardcore.
have feelings about having feelings: There's muscle behind their moods on "I Can Love," where the title sounds equally like an affirmation and a threat, and lyrics like "Push/pull" hint at how emotions can feel almost physical. Thanks to
's production, however,
's music is cleaner, more eclectic, and possibly even bleaker than ever before. While "Hand in Shove" closes the album with doomy post-punk that would've fit on their debut, the glassy guitars make a striking contrast with
' ragged vocals. Elsewhere, the band takes unexpected cues from
, subverting the swaggering beats and arpeggios of the
brothers' early hits. Songs like "Supersonic" were monuments to confidence, but on "Know Who" and "Charged,"
sings "I know there isn't any other way/There doesn't appear to be anyone" instead of demanding gin and tonic. Along with these homages, on
also call to mind a slightly less grandiose version of
, another punk-rooted band unafraid of big gestures and bigger feelings on "Heal" and "Moving Window," an epic-sounding song inspired by a conversation
had with a woman on the bus. This track and "Reality Tunnel" are among a handful of times when
's angst catches fire, but the other ways
transform their fury into turbulent, affecting songs are arguably more impressive. ~ Heather Phares