With retro and electroclash creeping into the Albuquerque music scene, indie rockers deserve a bit of knowledge about something that isn't a chart-topper.
The Faint's new album, Wet From Birth, is one of these hidden gems.
This is the Faint in a nutshell - indie meets '80s synth-rock meets electronica and dance. Too vague? Think rock music you would hear at a club before it was ever remixed.
The Faint began its musical journey in 1994 in Omaha, Neb., under the name Norman Bailer, which singer and keyboardist Todd Baechle called a "heavy-handed attempt at being different."
After years of growing and playing with synthesizers, The Faint emerged in its modern incarnation with the 2001 release of Danse Macabre.
Wet from Birth is a continuation of the Faint's development into the edgy, nontypical band members worked hard to become.
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The album opens with a violin intro for "Desperate Guys," a song with a great backbeat and lyrics that embody the enigma of female bass players and their ability to be lusted after.
The album drives on strong with great beats in "How Could I Forget?" and "I Disappear," then changes tone but not energy with "Southern Belles in London Sing." The intro to "Belles" makes the listener feel as though one is standing on the streets of London listening to the sounds of the city. Then it launches into a catchy beat with clever lyrics.
This album is solid and more complete than Danse Macabre as a concept.
The Faint's lyrics are a testament to the group's underground success. At first listen, the dance-rock sound distracts the listener from the fact that the words are politically aware and full of social commentary. "Drop Kick the Punks" is a call to change pop culture.
The lyrics and dance beats meet flawlessly in the album's climax, "Paranoiattack." This song has the most club-worthy beats, which should spawn some excellent remixes. The lyrics talk of a subject still newsworthy today - the fear of terrorist threats and the paranoia they generate. This attempt at social commentary is far from average. Fans of the Faint might recognize this song from a bootlegged live performance released on the Internet in early 2004.
Wet From Birth is a great party album for the socially conscious. It's much more rock than Danse Macabre but loses none of the Faint's edge. The only thing that could be better than this album is seeing the Faint perform live. Too bad Albuquerque isn't on the tour bill.
Wet From Birth
The Faint
Grade:A
