album of the week - 3.1

Fake Problems

It's Great To Be Alive

SideOneDummy (2009)

why you'll love it:  big sound - simple rock

why you'll hate it: overdose of religious lyrics

The first real contender for album of the year has come out of nowhere, or at least someplace just as bad, Naples, Florida. The relatively unknown Fake Problems caused some buzz on the 'org in 2007, but failed to leave much of an impression on me. This time around, they've taken their Hot Snakes + (Charlie Daniels x Lynyrd Skynyrd) equation and threw in a crazy Streetlight Manifesto/World Inferno Friendship Society fraction.

It's Great To Be Alive sports a full and vibrant backup roster of brass, organs, handclaps, and violins. The composition and production of these songs are the real stars of this album, but their southern baptist punk shtick may turn people away. Any Swami Records fan will feel right at home alongside the first act of the album, as Chris Farren belts out a familiar sounding cocky redneck yell.

The middle of the album may test your patience though, as creepy religious themes take hold. I'm not a big lyrics fan. They only serve as a bit of flavor to the melody for me. But to some (nearly the entire internet), the mere mention of god and the devil are enough to convince that the band "is all about teh Jesus." Despite this, the songs themselves are quite riveting and full of impressive highs and lows.

The last three songs are surprisingly... emo. The good kind, don't worry. In fact it sounds a lot like the kind of melodies you'd hear in a Stay What You Are era Saves The Day song. There is a bit of the southern drawl and religious banter carrying over, but once again, the production and orchestral approach does wonders. A surprisingly modest end to such a boisterous album.

So there you have it, three different albums rolled into one! It's Great To Be Alive has a few imperfections stacked against it, but as of now, it's definitely the best album I've heard so far this year. Looks like I'll have to go back and give How Far Our Bodies Go another look, because halleighlujah I've seen the light!