Consistently dynamic and diverse
FIDLAR (Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk) are now three records into their career. The band’s energetic tunes and ferociously personal, yet humorous lyrics have helped them accumulate quite a sizable fan base. With that being said, their latest record proves that they are more sonically capable than many fans may have thought. Almost Free has the catchy quirky simplicity of 21 Pilots, bluesy riffs like Cage The Elephant, hip-hop-infused musicality like Gorillaz and the instrumental diversity of Beck. It wouldn’t be surprising to see them on tour with one of them in the near future. Every song on this album is very strong and for the most part, has a very radio-friendly sound.
Aside from the typical drums, guitar and bass, you can also hear harmonica on “Get Off My Block,” piano on “Can’t You See” and “Scam Likely” and sax, trombones and trumpets on “Almost Free” and “Scam Likely.”
“Can’t You See” has an upbeat tempo that helps propel the song. The guitars and bass have an aggressive tone that is not unfamiliar for FIDLAR, and the drums have a catchy beat and ultimately stick out from the rest of the instrumental. The piano during the bridge adds a unique touch to the song. FIDLAR’s arsenal of instrumentation is clearly being opened up quite a bit, and this is evidence of that. Lastly, the dynamics enhance this song quite a bit. It is very evident in how the other instruments come in and out around the main guitar riff.
“Alcohol” is the perfect party song and might even do alright as a club song. This song oozes pure attitude and incorporates a lot of the same dynamics that seem to be consistent for other tracks.
“Almost Free” is an instrumental interlude that highlights the group’s diverse musicianship. The trumpet melody is gloriously rich. The song’s emphasis on sax blends well with the guitars’ fuzzier tone. Later on in this track, the group layers beautiful guitar chords with the sax and horns. The blending of the sax and guitars lets the trumpet shine through here. Even though this song is layered and blended with beautiful harmonies, their punk rock attitude still finds a way to pierce its way through.
Overall this album has a lot of replay value. The listener will discover new layers with each new listen. It is easily one of the most uniquely interesting and catchy albums out right now. With FIDLAR’s Almost Free, the bar for other 2019 albums has been set pretty high.
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