Customer Reviews

How Far Our Bodies Go

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About six months ago, I reviewed the Fake Problems EP Spurs and Spokes/Bull>Matador. The eight song debut was a deliciously fun, frenetic country punk entry in which the boys in the band tipped their hats to Florida mega-punk stars Against Me.

How Far Our Bodies Go, the bands new full length, demonstrates the nice guys in Fake Problems are one step closer to reaching icon status. The sound remains pretty much the same, although the full length allows the band to explore some eighties indie rock, touching on Hootenanny era Replacements on some songs, and Soul Asylum on others. The tribute to alternative rock mixes nicely with the hard driving rhythms. All those days Fake Problems have spent on the road has lead to very mature compositional skill, creating songs that swing variably in between rock, country and country punk.

There are moments when vocalist Chris Farren reaches deep into in his soul and pulls out tracks reminiscent of a young Thom Yorke from Radiohead, Paul Westerberg and of course, Tom Gabel. Casey Lee and Farren thrash their axes appropriately, and the rhythm section of Derek Perry on bass and Sean Stevenson on drums adds joyful cacophony, grinding and driving the entire band. Farren does a fine job, exuberantly leading the band with his conversational and occasionally impressionistic lyrics, which he sings with equal dashed of wry irony and direct sarcasm.

The only problem here is Fake Problems occasionally lapses into stealing huge chunks of originality from Against Me. They probably just got a little lazy in the studio, rushing through the lesser songs- no big deal. How Far Our Bodies Go achieves a charming, life affirming presence, shucking the intense politics preached by many punk progenitors. The infectious fun of their stage shows translates well here as Farren and his mates eschew the trappings of heavily commercialized punk claptrap.

How Far Our Bodies Go will caress you with its heart and soul and abuse you with its trashy roots-punk. It will throw you to your feet for some self-absorbed slam dancing and have you contemplating Farren's deep metaphors. But mostly, it will hit you like a melodic hangover- a little worse for wear, but very glad for the experience.

I heard these guys live, and I must say the energy they put into a live show seems to be captured on this CD. At first listen, during the one or two times when Fake Problems takes a slight breath to regain its composure, I was a little wary. Spurs and Spokes was non-stop entertainment, and I wasn't sure where they were going with the few instrumental reprises. However, because there are is an abundance of tracks that immediately grab your attention, such as "To Repel Ghosts," "Born & Raised," and "Life's a Drink, Get Thirsty," that after the second listening, I really appreciated how the album developed, and grew actual love for most (if not all) these tracks.

This album has the heart and soul of the kind of music you can really sympathize with and relate to, while maintaining a quick enthusiasm that always keeps the listener entertained.

Where a lot of music that I have listened to flourishes in a specific setting or when you're in a specific mood, I have come to realize that I have never felt like skipping over a Fake Problems song when it comes up on shuffle.

These guys have earned my respect both on stage and on compact disc, and if their Viking Wizard Eyes songs are any indication, I think their next album is something to look forward to.