FVRMN – Back To The Whip
FVRMN – Back To The Whip – Album Review
Don’t get me wrong, even on the best of my days I still never understand why bands change their name more often than they tend to change their underwear whilst on tour, but going from Fever Moon to FVRMN seems like one of the most inconsequential changes in a moniker I’ve personally witnessed to-date. Why oh why do y’all do this stuff time and time again? To make it tougher for folks to find ya? It happens so much you’d swear that every second band was somehow in the witness relocation program.
Anyhow. FVRMN it is! That’s a couple less characters for me to write out, so…bonus! Rejoice!
I’ve never really felt like names really matter much in comparison to the music anyway, so there’s that. Whether it’s Fever Moon or FVRMN, I’m simply happy to have more of a band that I genuinely dig back in these speakers and on my playlists over here. From what I understand, I’ve got Back To The Whip a bit in advance here…but word on the street is that the first single/title-track from the record will drop online on March 28th this year, so keep your eyes peeled & your ears to the ground & you won’t miss it. It just so happens that “Back To The Whip” is also the first track on the record and features the mighty Mike Watt playing the bass…which pretty much makes it essential listening. Let’s be real, that dude’s a straight-up legend…y’all know the Minutemen…y’all know The Stooges…Mike’s made his mark in music permanently long before this, and is still one of the best all-time guest-stars I’ve ever seen pop up in the tunes of other artists out there. “Piss Bottle Man” with Evan Dando is still one of my favorite tracks that slipped under the radar of most listeners to this very day…like I said, Mike’s legendary. Jay from FVRMN is in the process of carving out his own space still, but I’m completely confident he’ll get there, and cuts like “Back To The Whip” confirm he’s got the true grit required to get there. In the past reviews I’ve written on his music, I’ve told ya all about the fact he’s got something uniquely special in his songwriting that can’t be overlooked. The way Jay’s able to combine such an incredible level of distortion into the FVRMN sound & songs, yet still have the melody play such a crucial role is a serious accomplishment. The band has chosen extremely wisely when it comes to this record – “Back To The Whip” is undeniably addictive and straight-up irresistible if you ask me. Honestly, it took me a long time to even want to move off of TRACK ONE on this album, because I was enjoying it THAT much, you feel me? That’s one of the nicest problems you can ever have in listening to a record…”Back To The Whip” is a brilliant opener.
You’ll find many heavy hitters throughout this record – like Chris Broach of Braid singing backup vocals on “Diamonds,” and Grammy winning Dan Konapka of OK GO doing the mixing/mastering of the songs on Back To The Whip – but make no mistake, each foray into the music of FVRMN is a glimpse into the incredible connection that singer/guitarist Jay Holmes supplies. There’s a reason big names come out to lend an assist and support this dude, because he’s really that damn good y’all. In a world where there’s a whole bunch of glossy fake shit that gets all the press, Jay’s sandpaper-esque gruffness has been a constant reminder that real artists still get their due respect from all corners of the music community. So yeah…don’t get me wrong, a great name from the industry is always going to bolster the profile of a band like FVRMN and it’s a good move…I suppose what I’m saying is that the songs this band creates are already well on their way to greatness…having a guest-star appearance like Broach on “Diamonds” isn’t entirely necessary so much as it’s merely the icing on the cake, know what I mean? As far as Holmes goes, I can’t imagine the millions of times he’d have been compared to Frank Black by now, and while that’s always going to be a justifiable observation, I’ll leave it at that and assume the comparison has been plenty covered by this point in his career. Things are sounding solid on “Diamonds” all around though…I feel like the climb up through the melody in the chorus creates another highly memorable moment early on in the lineup of this record…the energy of Back To The Whip has been stellar so far. Dig the solo in “Diamonds,” and love the way FVRMN punches back into the chorus for that next run through right afterwards…guitar tones are amazing, and the backing vocals came out remarkably well.
Before Indie became how it’s typically defined today, or College Rock became a term limited only to the kids stepping outta high school, you’d have used either of those categories to label the music of FVRMN back in my day. Like, I listen to a track like “Raleigh” and feel like Jay’s music would have easily found a home on something like the Clerks soundtrack if his music was circulating around that era. The thing is, what we experienced in moments like that carried the weight of knowing you were still standing in the dawn of something special…but I’d argue that even though that particular era has passed, the feeling is still largely the same. Songs like “Raleigh” give you that inexplicable spine-tingling experience that only comes through hearing a connection to music that can’t possibly be faked…FVRMN builds songs that are the real deal, and the very fabric of your DNA will recognize that. Sure, he’ll have the odd line that’ll jump out and grab ya, like “last night was a total bastard” – and hell, maybe it’ll even make you chuckle a bit as you’re listening – that’s okay, you’re meant to – but the reality is, the serious magic that you’re looking for in the connection between the music and its creator is completely present in every single second you’ll hear too, no matter what gets uttered from the microphone & the attitude in Jay’s lyrics. As I’ve said more than a few times by now I’m sure, this dude just gets it in ways that others don’t – and when you hear the way the hooks come out so oddly endearing in that addictive way you can’t describe but know is true on “Raleigh” and every tune on this record so far, believe me, you’ll know what I’ve been getting at. FVRMN has always been a diamond in the rough of the scene just waiting for you to discover them, and once you have a listen for yourself, you’ll find that you’re repeating their music relentlessly. There’s a reason for that…and while it lies beyond description, it’s something you’ll feel.
That doesn’t mean you’re not gonna have your favorites on this record like every human being tends to have on any given album – of course you are. For me, the first three songs on Back To The Whip are so bloody magnificent that I knew it’d be a tough pace to keep up to. On my first couple spins through “Esoteric Lover,” I felt like I wasn’t quite connecting with the more Punked-up energy that this track contains, though I’m certainly familiar with that being part of what makes FVRMN, FVRMN too. As I continued to dig into the album and keep spinning it over these past several weeks in advance of its upcoming release, I ended up feeling like I got more onboard with “Esoteric Lover” as time went on. Do I dig it as much as those first three tracks? Still no – but that’s okay, that’s the natural ebb and flow of a set-list and how our ears respond to music – you might feel totally different than I do, and this might be the track that speaks most strongly to you…and if that’s the case, you’ll get nothing but a high-five from me. The real bottom line is that FVRMN hasn’t let themselves down…the performance they put into “Esoteric Lover” is just as strong as any of the rest, which gives a track like this a genuine chance to be anyone’s favorite – and that’s all you can really do as a band or artist. Stick to your vision, execute as best you can, and let the chips fall where they may. The rest is all opinions and assholes…of which we all have, and critics like myself prove to be personified through their existence and endless nattering. I still dig what I hear in “Esoteric Lover” – don’t get it twisted y’all – my comments are more of a compliment towards how I feel about the inherent strength and bulletproof hooks you’ll find in the first three tracks.
The downshifting melody in “Decoder Ring” sounds really unique in the FVRMN catalog as the verses play on…all-in-all, it feels like we get a lil’ something different outta the band on this one, and I’m diggin’ it. I think there’s probably a bit of an argument that you can make that “Decoder Ring” is a little less reliant on Jay’s magical gruff melodies on the microphone than many of the FVRMN tunes tend to be – when it comes to this track at the center of this nine-song lineup, it’s the music you come away with as the main strength in what we hear. Ain’t nothing wrong with that of course…heck, it should be something we celebrate really…most set-lists are filled with some kind of variety to keep us entertained, and so logically, it should be different elements that capture the attention of our ears from track to track. There’s a real robust vibe that drives the bold sound of “Decoder Ring” overall. I suppose you could say that it’s a bit heavier…I’d reckon that’s true to a degree on a fundamental level, but it’s still very cohesive and consistent with the FVRMN sound despite the differences you’ll hear on display. Which is great! You should always want to explore your sound right out to the fringe of where it’ll carry ya and beyond…there’s always positives and negatives in the art of exploration in the results of course, but you learn from them, evolve, and grow. In the case of “Decoder Ring,” I feel like FVRMN is dealing with all positives here…the music is absolutely badass if you ask me, and the instrumentation that you’ll find mid-tune in the solos & such was a genuine highlight on Back To The Whip as far as I’m concerned. I’d go as far as to say this track ends up being one of the album’s best, and by uniquely different means.
What’s REALLY fair to say though, is that I think by the time you get to track six on this album, you have to acknowledge the fact that it’s clearly the tightest record by FVRMN to-date. Sure you’ll have your favorites as I’ve already pointed out, but the material from start to finish, is being played lights-out at the very best you’ve ever heard FVRMN so far. That COULD be my opinion, but I’m tellin’ ya it’s facts all the same…I’d be shocked to find anyone out there that’s a real fan of this band disagreeing with that assessment. “Into The Earth” is another absolutely amazing track in this lineup, which also happens to feature an all-star collaboration that includes another appearance from Mike Watt, in addition to the talents of Motoharu Fukada and Christian Madden as well. Suffice it to say, there’s essentially nothing but awesomeness goin’ on here. While Jay may have broken his balls and “lost them back on the ranch at the falls,” it sure sounds like everything else is going right for the guy when it comes to “Into The Earth” if you ask me. It’s the finer details in this track that stack up to such a significant win here…the background elements, the tones and frequencies of the instrumentation…that kind of stuff. There’s no doubt that the melody is going to be huge hit with listeners out there…to the point where I’d certainly be looking at “Into The Earth” as a potential single from Back To The Whip eventually…but yeah…you get what I’m saying – this cut has all the right ingredients and level of accessibility required to get people onboard. It’s tracks like “Into The Earth” that bend towards a more crossover sound that can bring new fans to the band’s music, while still being a natural progression of the FVRMN vibe without compromise. It’s the lighter side of their sound for sure, almost in response to the deeper depths of the song right before it, but “Into The Earth” came out so freakishly irresistible that I’m confident it’ll blow ya all away.
When you encounter a lineup of songs as strong as this album has, you have to admire some of the more interesting and unintended effects that occur. Like, take a song like “Forkburn On The Tongue” for example – is this track going to get its proper credit at first when it comes to the masses listening to Back To The Whip? My gut actually tells me no…at least not at the beginning in comparison to a lineup that is technically filled with what I’d be willing to bet are considered more accessible or endearing tunes…but I’m tellin’ ya right here and now that it’s tracks like “Forkburn On The Tongue” that prove just how incredibly strong this whole set-list really is. Sure this might end up being considerd to be one of the deeper cuts on the record by most listeners, but c’mon y’all – even if that IS the case, can we at least acknowledge how kickass this track still is? For myself personally, I’d probably put this in my top five on the record…and I’ve had several moments where I feel like it could easily rank much higher in listening to it. The dimensions of this tune are absolutely killer…FVRMN roams seamlessly between the light and the dark in a track like “Forkburn On The Tongue,” and transitions between the gritty charm we love so much, to the smooth fluidity of melody with ease. Yeah…I mean…I’m ready to declare this track as the number one unsung hero of the album overall, though I suppose time will tell whether or not it’s sung. In my heart of hearts, I’d hope it would be – “Forkburn On The Tongue” is ridiculously awesome if you ask me; it’s a song that I continually come back to as one of Back To The Whip’s most addictive, 100%. It’s crunchy, it’s deadly, it’s got real melodic venom…and it’s still got that inherent magic of FVRMN at its best as well…it’s the perfect combination between accessibility and keeping their street cred fully intact.
There we go! It took some doing with all this awesomeness goin’ on, but we finally reached a point that I was less convinced of, which is “Wig.” Hold your horses…calm down y’all…I’m not saying there isn’t still plenty to love about this tune – I genuinely think that there is – BUT…I’m not as sure that you can argue “Wig” really furthers this particular record that much more, or does too much that we haven’t heard from FVRMN somewhere else along the way. So…you can look at a situation like that from a couple of different angles…one is that a track like “Wig” clearly has the consistency you wanna find inside of a lineup, while the other side of that coin is that it’s retreading a bit of similar terrain. It’ll likely be received differently on an individual basis…for many of us, more of what we love is merely a good thing, and believe me, I hear ya, I get it. In fact, I’ll go a step further and say that it’s not only extremely tough to not be a little bit repetitive in the course of making a single record, but that this lineup is a genuine achievement with respect to the fact that we haven’t felt this way until track EIGHT of NINE. And it’s still a solid tune! There are tons of parts in this track that I appreciate and feel like listeners will still dig very much too. It could be the effect of coming after such a remarkable & noteworthy track like “Forkburn On The Tongue” that has “Wig” sounding a bit pale by comparison or less unique, but like I said, I’ll still acknowledge that it’s a quality tune that fits the record, even if it’s not one that provides us with anything extremely different than what we’ve heard of experienced on Back To The Whip so far.
If you want listeners to know where the end of an album is gonna be, there ain’t no harm in putting ‘Finalé’ right there in the title so that it’s universally understood, like FVRMN does with “Grim Finalé.” Part of me feels a little similar towards this last cut as I did about “Wig” right beforehand in terms of whether or not it’s a song that’s significantly adding to the lineup or just more of what we love, but, I happen to dig the sound of “Grim Finalé” a bit more on a personal level I suppose. If I’m being entirely objective, then yeah, I suppose I’d have to say that it feels like it’s time that FVRMN wraps things up before we end up retreading too much of where we’ve already been…but I do think that it’s commendable that the quality of the performance and strength of the energy is still firing on all cylinders. I really dig the enormity in the very beginning of “Grim Finalé” and kinda wish there was space to have kept that goin’ a bit more throughout the rest to follow, but I’ve got no real issues with where this track ends up settling into either. Again, for many of us, more of a good thing can be a great thing, and “Grim Finalé” was a solid example of how I’m included in feeling that way – I really dig this last track…love the lyrics from Jay…the drums are stellar…the guitars have that inspired grind goin’ on…the melody is tangible, the hooks are strong…don’t get me wrong, I ain’t complaining so much as I’m just doin’ my normal thing of continually challenging folks to think about their music from a different angle and get’em to consider what else they can do in the future to follow. As it stands, I’m more than satisfied with “Grim Finalé” as the last track; I absolutely stand behind Back To The Whip being the best album I’ve heard from FVRMN so far to-date & proof that this band’s future ahead is brighter than ever.
You’ll be alble pre-order Back To The Whip by FVRMN at: https://bifocalmedia.com
Make sure to check out the rest of the FVRMN catalog at: https://fevermoontokyo.bandcamp.com
It’s a whole new year for you to ignore this message down here! Did you know you could be the next up on our pages at sleepingbagstudios by clicking here?
