Break Week 3
Variety is the spice of life, or so the saying goes. This Thursday, we’ll be introducing two tracks as DLC, which are a study in contrast and proof positive that excellent music comes in many forms. Bad Suns “Life Was Easier When I Only Cared About Me” and The Fall of Troy “F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X” will be available in the Rock Band Music Store on October 20.
“Life Was Easier When I Only Cared About Me” from Woodland Hills, California’s Bad Suns is a complex offering. The song’s title may be quite a mouthful, but the musical depth of this jam is equally expansive. Speaking of titles, while both this cut and the name of the January 2022’s album from which it comes, Apocalypse Whenever, might suggest indifference and/or narcissism, the actual music comes off as neither. It’s fun: purposefully outlined, arranged, and performed fun – albeit underpinned by lyrical heaviness and heartbreak. The latter characteristic perhaps comes as no surprise, given that the entire disc was written during the pandemic. Synth-heavy, ‘80s summer musical vibes set the sonically cinematic stage for subtly masterful performances across the board. Frontman Christo Bowman and guitarist Ray Libby are both six-string aces, though you may have to listen closely for the guitars amidst the song’s dense, sugary mix. No such focus is required to get the boppy, poppy vocals of the chorus stuck in your head after just one listen, however! Meanwhile, Gavin Bennett (bass, keys, backing vocals) and drummer Miles Morris lay down a formidable dance/rock beat that drives this whole deceptively complex party. While a pandemic-informed narrative might not be the obvious formula for a good time, “Life Was Easier When I Only Cared About Me” actually provides a refreshing and uplifting reset of mindset and attitude. As Bowman explains in the band’s online bio, “This could all end at any time, so instead of moaning about things, I’m going to make the most of it.” More simply put: there may be no tomorrow, so we might as well dance – and play along – accordingly.
A spacey, FX-heavy guitar line gets things rolling in “F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.” before the full might of this hyper-talented, heavy trio kicks into gear – and things don’t let up from there until The Fall of Troy abruptly slams the breaks at 3:57 mark. Get ready for a serious mental and physical stress-test with this one! The Fall of Troy’s sophomore outing, 2005’sDoppelgänger served as a reboot of four tracks from the Mukilteo, Washington band’s 2003 self-titled debut. Amongst these, “F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.” is a new take on the earlier album’s “F.C.P.S.I.T.S.G.E.P.G.E.P.G.E.P.” (Say that five times quickly); the most distinguishing feature between the two is that the group largely swapped the bass and guitar lines – and it absolutely works, making this re-imagining of the song clearly superior to its predecessor. Clever! After guitarist and vocalist Thomas Erak’s six-string gymnastics during the bulk of the song, the guitar transitions to chunky palm-muting (swirling in phase/flange effects, naturally) in the latter portion of the bridge amidst the virtuosic drumming of Andrew Forsman and progressive bass heroics of Tim Ward – both of whom drive the entirety of “F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.” at a never-quite-falling-apart-but-oh-man-watch-out! breakneck pace. Potent vocals (listen for the background screams courtesy of Ward), raw and chaotic guitar work, a big and splashy chorus, and accomplished musicianship throughout: it’s clear why, for many fans, “F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.” served as the launching pad for The Fall of Troy and why the track remains one of the group’s defining anthems to this day.
Bad Suns “Life Was Easier When I Only Cared About Me” and The Fall of Troy “F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X” are available Thursday, October 20 for $1.99 each.
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*Please note that this week’s DLC tracks will be available Thursday, October 20th.