Fidlar - Fidlar (04/04/2013)
Loud, garage rock, heavy-hitting are the three words that most accurately sum up emerging Californian band Fidlar. Their self-titled debut is full of short but sweet tunes that showcase a pronounced West Coast 80’s punk influence. They have certainly made a big impression in the recent past in the US, and now are setting their sights on Australia.
Opener Cheap Beer takes off hard and fast from the beginning. The chorus of “I Drink! Cheap Beer! So What Fuck You! is a swift hit to the face, delivered with an aggressive growl from lead man Zac Carper. White on White features a kick-ass riff from guitarist Elvis Kuehn that drives and pushes the song along with another memorable chorus; it’s a real highlight of the record. No Waves sees a change of pace, something more reminiscent of The Vaccines, with background ambiance provided by sharp keyboards. 5 to 9 is barely reaches one minute in length, and is about, you guessed it, the tediousness of a typical work week.
Fidlar is actually an acronym for ‘Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk’, and with song titles such as Max Can’t Surf and Wake Bake Skate, it’s clear to see that the band don’t take their music content and themselves, that seriously, which is exactly what makes this an attention-grabbing and at times, fun, album.
While this record is far from an original concept, about sex, drinking, surfing and hanging out with mates, it is well pulled off. The vocals are interesting and punchy, the guitars are impressively unique in each song and have a real kick to them and the drumming showcases some full-on hefty hitting from Max Kuehn. Also, Fidlar’s influences are certainly not hidden away, it doesn’t really matter though, and the band’s take on garage rock is refreshing and uplifting in a modern way. It’s a great debut album full of promise from such a new young band.
Sebastian Betten
Opener Cheap Beer takes off hard and fast from the beginning. The chorus of “I Drink! Cheap Beer! So What Fuck You! is a swift hit to the face, delivered with an aggressive growl from lead man Zac Carper. White on White features a kick-ass riff from guitarist Elvis Kuehn that drives and pushes the song along with another memorable chorus; it’s a real highlight of the record. No Waves sees a change of pace, something more reminiscent of The Vaccines, with background ambiance provided by sharp keyboards. 5 to 9 is barely reaches one minute in length, and is about, you guessed it, the tediousness of a typical work week.
Fidlar is actually an acronym for ‘Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk’, and with song titles such as Max Can’t Surf and Wake Bake Skate, it’s clear to see that the band don’t take their music content and themselves, that seriously, which is exactly what makes this an attention-grabbing and at times, fun, album.
While this record is far from an original concept, about sex, drinking, surfing and hanging out with mates, it is well pulled off. The vocals are interesting and punchy, the guitars are impressively unique in each song and have a real kick to them and the drumming showcases some full-on hefty hitting from Max Kuehn. Also, Fidlar’s influences are certainly not hidden away, it doesn’t really matter though, and the band’s take on garage rock is refreshing and uplifting in a modern way. It’s a great debut album full of promise from such a new young band.
Sebastian Betten