SLIGHT MATURATION FOR CRUNK ROCK ACT

The tongue-in-cheek lyricism and over-the-top personalities found within the make-up of Family Force Five make them impervious to criticism on most levels. After all, trying to objectively assess a band who would respond with something along the lines of “I’m rubber; you’re glue”…well, you get the point.

So, it’s with that in mind that we review the latest from the crunk-rock quintet. The Dance or Die EP fills in adequately enough until August’s LP. “Fever” is the flavor of choice for the band, as it’s begun playing the new track live. The song winks with a Kanye-flavored intro before hitting the dance floor with deep, strobe light pulses. The effects-laden falsetto is a nice touch, and it keeps things moving through the chorus.

The title track struts direct from 1981 with its simple synth and slight disco vocal (think a white Kool & The Gang). “Wake The Dead” embodies the notion of saving the best for last. The static synths used here feel a bit Hot Chip in nature, and the track is easily the most impressive track, musically, FF5 has released to date. The final notes played here signal growth for a band that doesn’t seem to wanna grow up. And, whether they care or not, that’s a good thing.

 –Matt Conner