In 1982, the Descendants released a slew of 15 succinct hardcore punk vignettes collectively titled Milo Goes to College. The record was a chronicle of things that ticked the band off: authority, politicians, parents, this, that and who cares.
Milostood out from the hoard of hardcore releases that clogged up California and D.C. in the 1980s because it was painted ear-to-ear with melody and hooks (God forbid! This is hardcore punk we’re talking about!). It offered catchiness the likes of which had not been heard since the Buzzcocks started “Going Steady.”
If, however, instead of going to college Milo had opted to hang back in SoCal and kick it with his buddies, smoking pot, drinking Natty Ice and skateboarding on private property, maybe the Descendants’ record would have sounded a little bit more like FIDLAR’s self-titled debut. FIDLAR serves much the same function as Milo before it: it’s a concise collection of isolated but thematically similar stories, set to memorable potent riffs, for angsty youths.
FIDLAR finds its footing somewhere between the DIY hardcore punk of yesterday and the sun-dazed California garage punk of today. The band places an emphasis on fuzzed out, noisy, super catchy choruses, comparable to acts like Wavves, King Tuff, and early Cloud Nothings. And like Wavves, FIDLAR’s lifestyle is vividly apparent in their lyrics. Likes: surfing, skating, drinking, smoking, partying and videogames. Dislikes: not drinking and finding a job. Appropriately, the name “FIDLAR” is an acronym for “F**k It, Dog, Life’s A Risk.” How darn cute.
All the songs on this LP are consciously immature; any track could serve as the theme song to a crappy, Seinfeld-esque sitcom about a group of loveable slacker/skater pals. Though the majority of the vocals here are completely unintelligible, what ends up coming through is something like, “rabble rabble rabble cocaine, rabble rabble rabble giving up, rabble rabble rabble skateboard.” One lyric takes it as far as, “Feel like giving up on my skateboard.” Woah, woah, woah, T. S. Eliot over here! Dumb it down a little, please. Sheesh.
If you’re not into lowbrow, no amount of talented songcraft will save this record for you. If you don’t mind unbuttoning your collar every once in a while though, gems ranging from the Ty Segall-esque “Cheap Beer” and the King Tuff-inspired “5 to 9” to the retro pop-punk anthem “LDA” will keep you coasting along at over 150 intense beats per minute.
Ultimately, this constant tempo becomes a drawback to FIDLAR; the pulse goes stale long before the record is up. The only track that really breaks the homogenous pace of this LP is the shuffling “Gimme Something.” It’s a cheap/sexy rambling blur, reminiscent of some of the Pavement-goes-punk on Wowee Zowee. With minimal variation from track to track, FIDLAR functions best as a series of excellent singles rather than a cover-to-cover album experience. But FIDLAR’s not really the type to care anyways; they’re just a few dudes extending an invitation to have some irresponsible fun.
Grade: B
