Are We Gonna Be Alright?

Brighton, Englands Fickle Friends already had a strong grasp on making hooky, synth-accented indie pop when they released their inspired debut, 2018s Mike Crossey-produced You Are Someone Else. While that album certainly showcased their skill at crafting emotive anthems rife with frothy, dance-oriented arrangements, they continued to hone their sound, spending much of 2019 and 2020 working on two self-produced EPs, Weird Years (Season 1 and 2), that found them maturing and deepening their 80s and 90s pop influences. Building nicely upon that process, Fickle Friends sophomore full-length, 2022s Are We Gonna Be Alright?, is immediately engaging with a sound thats as catchy as their past work. Produced by guitarist Jack Wilson, the album has a nuanced sophistication that balances synthy, dayglow ambience, glassy post-punk guitars, and shimmering dance grooves. Several tracks, including "Love You to Death" and "Glow," have a funky, polyester-toned kineticism that brings to mind Prince. Conversely, cuts like "Write Me a Song" and "Yeah Yeah Yeah" mash distorted electro-grunge guitars with swirling EDM sound swells, all of which evokes the 90s alt-rock swagger of bands like Garbage and Blur. Once again at the center of the groups sound is vocalist Natti Shiner, whose warm, down-to-earth sensuality and lyrics about house parties, online dating, and, as on "Not Okay," trying to vocalize her fear for the future add a soft relatability to the bands effusive, cinematic pop. ~ Matt Collar

煌びやかなシンセとダンサブルなビート、そしてエモーショナルで美しいナティ・シャイナーのヴォーカルを武器に、デビュー作『You Are Someone Else』を全英TOP10入りさせた英ブライトンの4人組バンド。約4年ぶりとなる待望のセカンド・アルバムは80sテイスト全開のパンキッシュな"Love You To Death"、グランジーなギターが目立つ"Write Me A Song"、浮遊感のある"Alone"など、前作にはなかったタイプの曲を多く収録し、全体的に驚くほどスピード感のあるライヴリーな仕上がりとなった。UKバンドらしい湿った感覚を残しつつも、どことなく最近のフェルド・バイ・ラーメン勢にも通じる雰囲気で、明らかに新境地の作品と言っていいだろう。今作もチャートで大いに躍進する予感。
bounce (C)赤瀧洋二