Every Tuesday, a new slew of albums are released for the public’s ears to fully ingest its awesomeness (Or sometimes lack thereof). As a musician (of sorts) and former music student, I have a need to listen to everything good or bad. That is this bloggy thing-a-ma-jigger’s purpose, to expose the public to new music whether it’s the second coming Beethoven or the return Milli Vanilli. This is WKTR, King Tuna Radio.
This week’s artist is a newer indie band that has sold out faster than the Super Bowl. It is Some Nights by Fun..
Now even before I listened to this album, I hate the band already. Not because their first single (“We are Young” featuring Janelle Monáe) is featured in the Chevy Sonic commercial (the commercial I seem to encounter when I enter the Lordkat stream, watch Blip videos, stream hulu, etc.) or because their song was featured in Glee. No, it’s because Microsoft Word freaks the fuck out whenever I type their name. The band’s name is Fun., with a full stop. That period makes every sentence using the band’s name look like a fragment. I am going to have green lines everywhere. And yes, I must use Microsoft word because my grammar sometimes is less than spectacular.
Anyway, Some Nights has already garnered high praise from the public at least, as it has debuted number one on the billboard charts. Does this album live up to high expectations? Initially yes.
The first single off this album is an intro to either album or the title track. Either way, this intro has that musical opening number feel, as it starts off very simple with just the lead singer and piano. Soon you hear a soprano opera singer, strings, and other sound effects scattered around. Then my ears hit a new form of joy. I hear backing vocals layered so perfectly I thought I was listening to a Queen Song. The lead singer even has a Freddy vibe going. The song slowly crescendos adding other orchestrals, which eventually subdues then quickly crescendos to signify the end.
Now most of descriptions I use for the singles in albums are not going be that lengthy, but that 2 minutes and 18 seconds had me hooked for the other 9 tracks.
Now the title track, Some Nights stilled used the layered vocals, but not as good as the intro. It uses jungle beat, piano, and some guitar. I think this song is supposed to be like a chant type song, something a kin to Kings of Leon or U2. Track 3 is the first single released off this album, which was released over two months before the release of the album. “We are Young” featuring Janelle Monáe starts out like a march, then transfers into mid tempo piano song, then slows down to an inspirational style song in the chorus, which lasts throughout most of the song (it ends on the mid-tempo piano song). And how was Janelle Monáe used in this song? She sang two lines in the bridge, which is barely heard over the chants “Na-na-na”. And now I noticed that the singer is auto-tuned some in this album, I don’t know if it’s used for effect or correction.
“Carry On” has this Irish folk sound to it. But it’s another mid-tempo song. I’m hoping I didn’t stumble upon The Fray: The Sequel. At least the backing vocals are layered chords and there is some guitar used in this song. I feel the guitar player is under used, unless he is playing acoustic guitar when I don’t hear him. We also hear some synthesizer use. When the next song hits, I thought I accidentally switched to a Skrillex song. Nope , it’s just “It Get’s Better”. I think this band is trying to do inspiration while swearing during most of these songs. To be honest, the song finally sounds like a rock song, but it is a train wreck. The mesh up of indie rock and dubstep doesn’t really work well.
And now it’s back mid-tempo madness in “Why Am I The One”. It sounds like the other 3 mid-tempo songs. Now I hear synthesizer and drum machine. That is when the hip hop beat hits. Yes, indie rock with a hip hop beat for the track “All Alone”. It sounds like a Maroon 5 song. And it is almost as forgettable, so yes, a Maroon 5 song. The drum machine returns for the next track, ANOTHER mid-tempo song, “All Alright”. I see a pattern here.
“One Foot” starts out like a late nineties hip-hop tune with its synthesized brass hits. It’s another inspirational song saying “I’m going to keep doing what I do, and I don’t need anybody”. “Stars” ends this album, and it is the longest song on this album. The imaginary audience returns to cheer the band, and synthesized organ, drum hits, and brass lines are abound. And the guitar is a little more present. The track has a feeling of the finale in a generic musical, where they neatly wrap up the story. And then I get lost when the effect with Kanye vocals appears. At least there is a guitar solo. And this album ends on another mid-tempo song.
There are bonus tracks, but since they are a bonus, they are not part of the main album.
At first listen, this album had a great sound to it. But after finishing it, I don’t remember any songs besides the first three tracks and that weird dubstep fiasco. I had to listen to this album again while typing this review in order for me to remember what I listened to. Overall, the album is okay, there isn’t much wrong with it. There was a lot of mid tempo inspirational songs, but they are not The Fray. Fun. has a more Coldplay or Radiohead vibe, trying different and unique things. The way this album started I was ready for the full ride; half-way through I fell asleep and then woke up at the end. So, it’s not offensive by any means, and it makes great homework music as you won’t be distracted by most of the tracks. I say give it a listen if you like mid-tempo.
I have a scale that is three levels: Press Stop (don’t listen), Press Play (take a listen), Press Repeat (a must listen)
This Album gets a:
Press Play
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