Fin Fang Foom

From genre mainstays like Engine Down to hidden gems like Bats & Mice, Lovitt Records knows how to spot a thought-provoking, palatable alternative rock band when they see one. Fin Fang Foom have been a name to remember for some time now but are only just finding their footing and focus here. A surprising foray into sombre piano-driven rock songs, this LP blows all their previous work out of the water and proves itself as one of the better records the American indie rock world will release this year. These days, Fin Fang Foom are less inclined to change a time signature or use dissonance for dramatic effect. Instead, they’ve recorded nine tastefully intricate songs with a consistency not seen in most other rock bands. But, as the title states, that consistency can be unwanted. The gift they offer is a well-defined album in the truest sense of the word (each song lending itself to the next) but the album’s marked sound is also its biggest curse. If you don’t like the first song, you’re probably going to be uninterested in the remainder of the album. Just listen through the first four minutes and 11 seconds and you can immediately decide for yourself which portion of the disc’s title applies.