Last year when Random Hand announced their indefinite hiatus there were questions about who would take their place as the UK's premier ska punk band. For me there was no need for questioning, it was always going to be Kings Lynn's Faintest Idea. After seeing them live twice last year supporting on Random Hands farewell (for now) tour it's clear they are more than capable of putting on a show that will get a live crowd moving. The question is, what about on record? This April Faintest Idea have a new album (their fourth) out on TNS Records that is called Increasing The Minimum Rage. With a much changed line-up I was very interested to hear what it sounds like.
The album begins with a song by the name of Circling The
Drain. After starting with some gentle horns and a short audio clip about not
liking any governments, the track starts properly with some bouncing horn lines
before front man Dani ClichĂ©’s harsh and aggressive vocal style comes in. The
delivery is bouncy put also packs one hell of a punch. Faintest Idea also add
some things I've never really heard in their music before. Firstly, there is
some fantastic keyboard playing (from Vic Ruggiero of The Slackers!) that adds a great new layer to the song. And
secondly, the use of a female harmony, which I suspect is by new trumpet player
Sara Harrington. The tempo is upped on the second track Cocktails. Beginning
with some great guitars from new lead guitarist Jack Player before Dani comes
in with quick-fire vocals that will get a crowd skanking in no time. There is
some fantastic use of gang vocals on the chorus of the track, something that
Faintest Idea have always excelled at. I've said many times how good gang
vocals are for giving a song a sense of inclusiveness, this works especially
well with Faintest Ideas political rude boy street punk style. Down Pressure is
one of the many stand out tracks on Increasing The Minimum Rage. When I first
heard it I was instantly reminded of The Specials, which is a little weird given
the difference in Dani and Specials’ singer Terry Hall’s vocals. The
similarities come in the music, where Faintest Idea's horn section really comes
to life, and the backing harmonies, which really make me thing of Little Bitch.
The fourth song is called Echo Chamber and is a track that
really shows how far the band have come as musicians and songwriters. The song
has some fantastic guitar solos, bass lines and drum beats along with horns
that take you on a marvellous journey. Increasing The Minimum Rage certainly
feels like there is a lot more use of the incredible brass section that
Faintest Idea possess than on previous albums. The Well Has Run Dry feels a lot
more like classic Faintest Idea. It's a fast paced hardcore punk song complete
with horns. The band don't slow down during the songs two minutes and three
second duration. I really enjoyed how Dani and Jack took turns in delivering lines;
it gives the song an even bigger sound. This song will get a live crowd very
rowdy. Lords Of War is another more aggressive punk jam. The horns take the
lead at the beginning of the track, playing a tune that sounds like it's
rallying the troops for battle. Jack again plays some great, intricate guitar
lines that give the song a really interesting sound. Vocals come from
everywhere in the song, making you wonder what's going to come next - something
I really enjoy. Faintest Idea really switch things up on the seventh track
Throw Away The Key. It's a punk rock reggae song! When I first heard it I
immediately thought of the Mad Caddies – which is always a good thing! I really
enjoyed Faintest Idea switching their sound up on this song. More to the point
I really enjoyed that they pulled it off, a testament to the talent of the
band. Of course Dani's vocals are as harsh as ever on the song but that really
adds to the charm of the song. This is another song that feels like it will be
really fun live.
No Consequences has a sound similar to UK punk legends The
Filaments. I love to hear bands’ influences coming out in their music. This is
a track about spending life on the road, the band frequently shout
"Chasing White Lines" throughout the song - a metaphor about spending
a lot of time on motorways. Unlike many of the other songs on the album, here
the band use the horns mostly to add a hook to the chorus rather than leading
the melody of the song. Ouroboros again sees Faintest Idea stepping away from their
trademark sound by incorporating a calypso style guitar at the beginning of the
track. Jack Player really has added a lot of new dimensions to the band since
joining. The horn section does a great job in walking you through the song,
again making you feel like you are part of a rally as Dani sings about class
wars. The penultimate song is called Corporation. This track has a long musical
intro before Dani's vocals start. This time they are slow, like a preacher trying
to get his message across. The song eventually picks up some speed morphing
into a fast-paced skank fest that will get people really moving. The complete
shift in styles in the song is fantastic; the first half is one big build
before the crazy dance fest that follows. The final song is named Tightrope and
is a slower-paced song that really lets Dani's vocals do most of the work
through the first half of the track. Despite the slower pace of the song
Faintest Idea still manage to get all of the political aggression across
through the song. Tightrope finishes with a long musical outro that finishes
off the song and the album excellently.
I love all three of Faintest Ideas previous albums but
Increasing The Minimum Rage really sees the band go up many levels. There is a
great variety in song styles and, despite the number of line-up changes, they
sound really tight on the recording. Perhaps down to the relentless touring
that the band does. For me Faintest Idea are one of the best live bands around
and any of these tracks will make a wonderful addition on their live set.
Pre-order here: http://www.tnsrecords.co.uk/?product_cat=tns-releases
Like Faintest Idea here: https://www.facebook.com/Faintestidea
Information on the album launch show here: https://www.facebook.com/events/564189317081879/
Pre-order here: http://www.tnsrecords.co.uk/?product_cat=tns-releases
Like Faintest Idea here: https://www.facebook.com/Faintestidea
Information on the album launch show here: https://www.facebook.com/events/564189317081879/
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