One of the biggest crowd pleasers at the IATU sponsored Worst Kept Secret Fest III was psych/punk/rock band FRIENDLY FAUX, stylized in all caps for the sake of this review, because an album as loud and fun as this one needs that emphasis.
This foursome knows how to get down and dirty, and the end product is anything but fake. Kudos to Geoff Spall (who also lends his duties to The Seasonal Help) for expertly helming this ship. Friendly Faux are a band that expertly crafts psych influenced punk alternative. Who really knows what that means, though? In layman’s terms, the guys aim for a raw rock n’roll sound. With the exception of the sweat and blood, and muffled sound mix that would come from a house show (something these guys are known for) this record conveys a mood quite close to experiencing it live.
The jams are straight up groovy too. “Joke On A Rope” is, no joke, one of the best rock and rollers I’ve heard all year. Drummer Brandon Morit is at the wheel and is shifting into overdrive. When that melodic bridge and time signature change kicks in, what else can I yell but an adrenaline induced “YEAH!” Since this song is honestly my favorite on the record I have to be honest and say that the album suffers from peaking too early for me (“Joke…” is track 1). The rest of the tracks are thoroughly enjoyable though – highlights include the celebratory “Then Again” and the dance-ready “Capslock.” The latter especially embodies a bit of nostalgia for me, though I cannot place quite where from.
[bandcamp width=450 height=110 album=243269866 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 notracklist=true]Lyrically, the band isn’t a straightforward party band like the music might imply. Take the tongue in cheek lyrics from “Coulda Shoulda Woulda,” for example – “I coulda been a scapegoat / they’d serve me as the main course / I wanna bleed and bleed / til there’s no more blood to lust for” Spall asserts. Tongue in cheek bitterness gives way to optimism, fortunately in the proceeding “Yesterday’s Tomorrows” with such thoughts as “Now that the floodgates are open, I’m done looking to the past.”
Friendly Faux might be the best alt/psych/grunge band (grunge! I knew I forgot an influence) you’ve never heard of. The record is free on their bandcamp page, so why not take a listen?
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