By Mauricio La Plante
Staff Writer
It’s a drag to be sober. At least that’s what Los Angeles punk band FIDLAR’s latest album, “Almost Free,” suggests with lyrics questioning sobriety and stability.
After what seemed like a return to their rambunctious underground roots, with the release of the 2018 single “Alcohol,” FIDLAR (Fuck It Dog Life’s A Risk) diverges from its original style, in the group’s new album “Almost Free.”
From the start of the album, the lyrics speak about the tremendous effort it takes to cut down on unhealthy substances.
“I’m gluten-free, it’s killing me,” sings guitarist Elvis Kuehn on “Can’t You See.”
The song is about a dude blasted on cocaine trying to show people at a party his music on his iPhone, according to Genius.com.
But being gluten-free and encountering douchebag cokeheads aren’t the only subjects of the band’s third album.
The songs on the album alternate from raw guitar riffs to upbeat reggae beats.
The band spits rhymes about everything, from friends bailing out on them on “Flake,” to frontman Zac Carper’s desperation for a beer after a 12-step sobriety meeting on “Alcohol,” according to a lyrical analysis on Genius.com.
The album includes several references to Carper’s struggle with addiction to heroin, meth and alcohol.
“Why does getting sober make you feel like a loner?/And why does getting sober make you feel like a loner?!” screams Carper on “By Myself.”
But the band’s latest work may not sound as punk to some listeners as its prior releases.
Although “Alcohol” will probably stir mosh pits for years, music on other songs feature samples from classic rock acts like Gary Glitter and even some subtle record scratching reminiscent of rap group Cypress Hill.
Alongside the curveball musical throwbacks, the band throws in some of its own takes on today’s political discourse.
On “Too Real,” Carper disses what he sees as extreme political correctness on the internet, according to Genius.com, singing “There’s a bunch of white people calling white people white/Yo I don’t think you can say that, that ain’t right.”
The songs often sound more like frustrated shouts in the wind than a new generation’s anthem.
The odd personal stories of douchebags trying to make a name for themselves and going on a bender waking up in “some random’s home” is not surprising considering FIDLAR’s roots.
The band went from the Los Angeles underground scene to having a spot on Coachella’s lineup, according to a GQ article from 2017. As Carper said in the article: “There are two ways to kill a band: success and heroin.”
At that point, Carper had experienced both, GQ wrote.
Yet despite FIDLAR’s increased popularity, “Almost Free” comes at a time when anything but rock is at the top of the charts.
Ariana Grande, Halsey, Post Malone and Travis Scott are among some of the artists in the top 10 of the Billboard 100.
Sure, Panic! at the Disco, is at Number 6, and may have had an outlandish sound 14 years ago, but the band’s sole original member has verged onto more pop-based projects that are a far stretch from “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out,” their famous debut album.
FIDLAR might not be as underground or as manic as they were at their inception, but despite the shift in their music and increased popularity, its members have left some room for their wild side to survive.
