ENTERPRISING QUINTET DROPS MANDATE TO DANCE ON SOPHOMORE RELEASE

For Family Force 5, it’s do or die. Busting out a second full-length record, fresh digs and a brand spanking new label, the over-the-top quirky quintet is bringing 2006’s Business Up Front, Party in the Back to the dance floor. Dance or Die plunges head first into 11 dance-til-you-drop ditties that egregiously elevate the Atlanta boys into a league all their own.

With glittering synthesizers, grungy guitars and a pervading pop/punk groove, the boys have accurately, if ambiguously, branded their evolutionary hodge-podge of sounds “crunk rock.”

Over the past couple of years FF5 has rocked appearances as diverse as “The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” mtvU’s “Freshman Class” and Gospel Music Channel’s “Front Row Live” and alternated stages as diverse as the “Vans Warped Tour” and Christian music festival “Rock the Universe.” Exposing its self-described “sweaty rock & roll” to just as many mainstream arenas as church youth groups, Family Force 5 has suffered its share of the typical crossover critical low blows.

But with personalities as electrifying as their fiery sound, the five fellas of FF5 have refused to part from their foundations of faith, willing to entertain any outlet ready to host the band’s dazzling tour de force.

And considering the 11 million-plus plays on the band’s MySpace and Gen Y’s obsession with music, it’s hard to discourage a band that is able and willing to speak truth into the lives of those you and I may otherwise not ever have the opportunity to meet. Even if it sounds like a metal disco.

As for Dance or Die, it’s just plain fun (and clean!). Fans just won’t be able to decide whether to wear bellbottoms or emo garb. For the characters of FF5, either will do. –Andrew Greer