AWmusic

Had you asked me where I thought Forever The Sickest Kids placed on my top bands list last year, it would have been somewhere near the top. However since their emphatic start with the release of their debut, they have slowly shied out of the limelight and out of sight. As a fan I’ve been waiting anxiously for new material, news, or anything really; with the quiet release of The Weekend: Friday, FTSK may have to get comfortable as they fall from the top. Mind you, I have not been overly impressed with very many albums this year, aside from Owl City and Paramore. Lights and A Rocket to the Moon also brought good music to my ears, but compared to last year, 2009 has mostly been a dud.

But enough of my bitter thoughts with this years music, there is still a lot of good to be heard from The Weekend: Friday. I am after all speaking about FTSK, and they are great at putting a lot of energy and creativity into their performances. Do or Die, the very first track, was actually impressive and a very capable song in its own right. The melody was perfectly composed, with great use of synths, guitar and the works. Ultimately, it’s the perfect example of a power pop track, with all the lovable antics that made FTSK so famous in the first place. Do or Die makes use of a perfectly timed and catchy hook that engages listeners, even if it’s almost sickeningly pop. It is also upbeat and fun at an optimal level and this is the kind of material that I like to hear from this group of guys.

Tough Love follows up with a similar style, but it’s not nearly as upbeat, energetic, or creative. Still a song that’s satisfactory, it does attempt a decently catchy chorus and tries for a high profile melody. The problem I had with the track is its meager attempt at substance or meaning, something FTSK tends to steer clear of. The theme of tough love, felt a little childish and a tad redundant, especially in such a heavily saturated market. However, FTSK follows up with She Likes, a much better attempt at something meaningful and a very good track. I thought it had great upbeat flow, but there was definitely a romantic plot and presence that gave the song a meaningful touch.

The EP is mostly a compilation of these kinds of track, some not so hot, others quite good. However there are some creative songs that I think deserve mention. Firstly, Hip Hop Check has the kind of verse reminiscent of old FTSK, fast paced, energetic and infectiously upbeat. The melody on the other hand maximizes on this energy, and throws the whole track into a whirlwind of eclectic liveliness. The other notable song is Hawkbot, which attempts some funky hip-hop and includes a lot of mainstream elements. I thought Hawkbot was pretty courageous, and is similar to something 3Oh3 might release. A very creative track to say the least, it was a good way to end off the EP.

While I was not overly impressed with the EP, there were definitely some tracks that I enjoyed quite a bit. Forever The Sickest Kids will need to do a little more in order to get back into tip top shape, and I’m excited to see if they capitalize on the positive aspects of this EP. From the creativity in Hawkbot to the upbeat role of Do Or Die, all the elements are in place for another great album, as long as they work hard for it.

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Forever The Sickest Kids – Do Or Die

Forever The Sickest Kids – Hawkbot

Tags: EP