ATP! Album Review: The Front Bottoms - Talon Of The Hawk

In such a short space of time, The Front Bottoms have managed to acquire a cult following worldwide and tours with Motion City Soundtrack, Say Anything and Bad Books have only helped propel them into the limelight. With their self titled debut released in 2011, they really reinvented their genre. Laced with simplistic power chords, awkward lyrics and uptempo drums that sounds nothing like every other punk record. However, with any band's first album, they have the first part of their life to write it and only 2 years to rehash that formula and write the follow-up, will this ring true with The Front Bottoms though?

Starting off with 'Adios (Au Revoir),' the short but quirky song takes the miscommunication and accusations of a relationship and lends them nicely to a simplistic, yet infectious, chorus. 'Skeleton' however, retains the simplistic nature of the previous song but it doesn't feel as accessible on a first listen and falls short. The band chooses not to censor themselves with fireworks like they did on 'Mountain' (from their 2011 debut album) and instead Sella sings about getting "so stoned" that he "fell asleep in the front seat".

This is not saying that the musicianship has dropped, in fact it is quite the opposite. The addition of Tom Warren on bass and Ciaran O'Donnell on keys has really added to the texture of the record. It isn't quite as raw as previous material but on songs like layered behemoth 'Twin Size Mattress' it really helps them to get to that next stage dynamically and helps drive the lyrics home. 'Everything I Own' is a similar track which utilises an organ and has the familiar blend of Sella's self evaluating lyrics whilst embracing a pop aesthetic and could quite easily be a single.

What separates The Front Bottoms from most bands is the meticulously detailed lyrics which really paint an awkwardly relatable picture. 'Lone Star' describes a pregnancy scare and the frightened boyfriend. It's these characters, whether real or not, that really make the songs lyrics come alive and the protagonist in this particular song is one that you're rooting for. With lyrics like "goodbye future once so bright, meet my pregnant girlfriend."

Overall, Talon Of The Hawk is a progression. It is here where we now see a baby faced Brian Sella and Mathew Uychich not wearing a tie as a bandanna to impersonate Rambo, but to wear round their neck and go about their every day business. Mature is a tacky word that you use to describe the fermentation of wine, but that is what Talon Of The Hawk is, something that has to sit with you and grow on you until it becomes something more.

4/5

George Gadd

Talon Of The Hawk will be released on May 21st via Bar/None Records.