The Front Bottoms: Back On Top

The Front Bottoms have been one of my favourite musical discoveries of recent years, straddling the line between indie, alternative and punk rock. Now they return with their third full length record "Back On Top", a title that feels ironic given their maudlin outlook and self-deprecating lyrics.

The trio of "Cough It Out", "HELP" and "Laugh Til I Cry" are some of the band's best songs to date. CIO with its "I am delusional with love" refrain seems set to become a singalong favourite at the band's live shows. "HELP" burrows into your skull courtesy of a fine synthesiser hook, as does LTIC, with its enormous radio friendly chorus. It feels like the band have pursued a more polished sound with the album and have succeeded in finding a balance without suffocating the rock elements that have garnered them a following thus far.

This is a record with a great many pleasures, including the bluesy "Summer Shandy" and the calypso rhythms of "The Plan (Fuck Jobs)". I'm a sucker for a well deployed horn section and when it's married with a great guitar rift, even more so. The band deliver on both count in "2YL".

There are a couple of duff moments. The moody "Historic Cemateries" feels like an acquired taste that I'm yet to acquire, whilst"Ginger" is a little perfunctory. Even for a band with a penchant for experimentation, the doowop influences on album closer "Plastic Flowers" feel a little tonally disjointed. Otherwise, it's an impressive collection of songs from a band who may be breaking out from their cult status and into the wider consciousness.

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