Album Review: Short-Brain by The Fur Coats

Compilations are such a fantastic way to discover new music. Recently I brought an early bird ticket to Book Yer Ane Fest in Dundee at the end of November. With the ticket the organisers Make-That-A-Take records included a new compilation named Make Yer Ane Fest. That comp features 42 brilliant punk bands but the one that stood out the most to me were a band from Chicago named The Fur Coats. They have just released a new EP named Short-Brain on Make-That-A-Take. Here is my review.

Short-Brain begins with One More Shot, which was the song that featured on the comp. It's a fun power pop punk song with as you might expect a super catchy chorus. The guitars buzz, the bass rumbles along and the drums pound throughout the track. The thing that really made the song stand out for me on first listen is lead singer Marc Ruvolo's voice. It's like nothing I've ever heard before in the pop punk genre and really adds to the band's sound. Song number two is called Short-Brain. This is a much shorter track Musically the track sounds very simple, going along at a steady beat with Ruvolo's vocals taking care of the tune portion of the song. The rest of the band add back up whoa-ohs to make the song feel bigger. The songs a definite grower compared to One More Shift but hugely enjoyable all the same. Fathom is a more traditional pop punk song, played at a break neck speed that just doesn't slow down. The subject matter of the song is quite unique. The song appears to just be a quaint track about taking your nephew to the beach. Kind of strange but another excellent track. The Short-Brain EP is finished by a track called Idling Engines. This is a more mid-tempo song and feels more like something you can easily sing a-long with. The song is about solving life's problems by going out on an "epic bender." Listening to the lyrics they are actually quite dark but accompanied by the music the song feels very upbeat and happy and absolutely love it.

The Fur Coats are one of the most unique bands I've heard in a very long time. There are many many amazing bands in the pop punk scene but it's difficult to say many are truly different. That can be said about The Fur Coats though. It's fantastic to hear bands doing something different and really making it work. Great stuff.

Like The Fur Coats here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fur-Coats/181333018613299?fref=ts

Buy Short-Brain here: https://makethatatakerecords.bandcamp.com/album/short-brain-7

Now listening to: Every Day Is A Rock 'N' Roll Day by The Apers