Fucked Up Glass Boys

Here is a list of just some of the things that Fucked Up has achieved in its mere 13 year existence: released a double concept album, won the Polaris
Music prize, played on stage with Jello Biafra and Keith Morris, recorded a single reportedly sampling the Taliban, got banned from MTV Canada, started a series of songs based on the Chinese zodiac, debuted on the Billboard 100, beefed with Billy Talent, sued Camel Cigarettes, released over 70 records, won "Spin"'s album of the year, collaborated with Jim Jarmusch, changed the very perception of the word "Fuck."

That ain't too shabby for any band. For a punk band, it is unprecedented. So, you'd think that on Glass Boys, an album that revolves around the theme of the band reflecting on their past, the band would basically re-write "We Are the Champions." He's what frontman Damian Abraham spits out on "The Art of Patrons" instead, "one by one we will find a way to let each and everyone down."

That is to say, the band is contemplating mass acceptance, but questioning whether their younger versions would be pleased with the decisions. It's telling that the band can't let themselves be happy for their success. Instead of a victory lap, the band repeatedly takes themselves to task for going where no one has gone before.

Even the record itself reflects that. The previous album, David Comes to Life, was a monolithic album, pumped full of mid-tempo, ethereal songs. Glass Boys, in many ways, reaches back to their band's earlier days. There's nothing here that thrashes like "Police," but here, Mike Haliechuck's guitar lines are the most defined they've been in ages, shifting from a metallic, almost '70s stadium rock rumble on "Warm Change," to a storming charge on "DET," to the huge sheets of sound found on the title track. Drummer Jonah Falco (who is sort of a main fixture of the album, having been given the focus on the alternate version of the album) stomps with a loose violence, cracking the band along, whereas formerly, they might have been more content to bathe in their own oblique sonic mass.
by JohnGentile P.news



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