The Faim – State of Mind
There’s quite the falsetto to open the album. That’s followed by a Fall Out Boy style vocal and a Panic! At The Disco vibe with extra EDM beats.
Humans also has shades of late-career Fall Out Boy. However, the universal statement refrain could just as easily be from a Taylor Swift classic: “love is only painful when it dies/that’s why it’s OK to fight/that’s what makes us human.”
Summer Is A Curse preceded an album and certainly made a statement. It’s catchy af and already a live staple.
To this point, The Faim have showcased their credentials as the obvious successors to the early 2000s pop-punk greats. Now, Beautiful Drama showcases vocalist Josh Raven’s distinctive vocal, and hints to influences beyond the emo scene.
Buying Time also has a catchy hook backed by rich instrumentation and an insistent beat.
Infamous is delicate and endearing in its earnest supportive message: “why you looking down just when things were looking up?/Start to look around.” It’s just the kind of song to carry core fans through hard times.
Next up, the dramatic track Amelie is another existing fan favourite, driven by scattergun drums and a soaring singalong chorus.
Turner sings a million miles a minute without losing the melody in Worlds Apart. It’s not hard to see how The Faim have taken Fall Out Boy’s wordplay and stadium-ready choruses and refined them even further with more beats and without Patrick Stump’s nasally vocal.
Where The River Runs is tender and seems the most autobiographical song so far compared to the universal sentiments found elsewhere. The story of parental support despite family breakdown is backed by a sweet female harmony. This track shows a willingness to explore beyond the confines of the wry call and response emo/punk genre.
State of Mind closes the record with one final shot in the arm on an album that honours its genre heritage while hinting at something more. The band’s set at Slam Dunk Festival suggested they have the performance chops and fan engagement necessary to propel The Faim to considerable fame. It’s a little surprising that A Million Stars didn’t make the cut. However, it’s a good sign that they have such a repertoire that they can introduce new songs without relying solely on established favourites for their debut.
The Faim’s critically acclaimed EP, Summer Is A Curse, saw them play well over 180 shows around the world and got them syncs for Coca Cola, Wrangler & Jeep commercials as well as song placement on hit US TV shows including Legacies. Now it’s time for the band to see where their debut album takes them, and enjoy the ride!
The debut album by The Faim, State of Mind, is out now on BMG.
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