FUULS - Post-Punk - Missoula, MT
by Jordan Finn
Those goldarn Missoula folk have done it again. FUULS new EP About-Face returns to the carefree rocking we’ve grown to like, love, and have to see. Reverberating down from the Rockies and onto the plains for almost a decade, FUULS new release sounds more polished and controlled than ever before, all without sacrificing the riffs and grooves that swing throughout their repertoire. Singer and guitarist, Thomas Ashley, bassist Rob Cave, and drummer Aaron Soria pummel, bop, and shriek their way through these four tracks, the last of which “Blanket State” is a rerecording of one of their most recognizable numbers.
The most noticeable difference here is the increased production; especially with reverbed-out guitars draining away between typewriter fast bass licks and lightning-quick drum fills that descend down the kit. And it’s not just a shinier FUULS. The intensity of Thomas’ screams with cleaner instrumentation brings his showmanship and precise vocal delivery to the forefront. Finally, I can appreciate the nuances of the vocals, not to mention those falsetto mountaintops he climbs providing an oh-so grandiose of views. The playing is tight and deliberate and other than the occasional fub the tracks are an improvement in every way.
The EP’s opener “Freudian Slurs” deviates from their sound more than any other sound they’ve released thus far, with its first section providing glossier rockage and its outro turning the lights down low for the comedown. “Nosferotten” gives us more but with tasteful keyboard action and plenty of bass fills without ever feeling gratuitous. The song’s ending confidently moves away from the verse and wordless chorus structure to the sounds of a guitar and quiet whispers sounding effectively eerie, just as Boards of Canada sounds like a decaying audio artifact. “Ronin” though is a standout track. It somehow sounds like a classic on first-listen. The first time I heard it live, it already sounded like an anthem. From the motorik-opening beat to those slick bass licks, FUULS knows how to build a verse - and deliver a chorus. It’s impossible not to tap your foot to once it hits, and that’s assuming you aren’t already on your feet pogoing.
The rerelease of “Blanket State” closing the record is promising. It’s a sign that they understand their audience has grown and needs introducing to memorable lines: “I get so high on being low!” With the supplement of a new ending to the song, FUULS isn’t just throwing on an oldie but a goodie but reminding us of how they’ve grown. It probably isn’t an accident that this track is also the most lo-fi sounding song on the record as homage to their garagey roots. But even with the increased production this rerelease of “Blanket State” might be the only spot to need improvement - there seems to be a fullness missing here that’s found in the original. The guitars are just fuller in the original, and the vocals placed rightfully in the forefront in the 2015 version. Nevertheless! FUULS has put out a release that continues to cement their position as one of Montana’s best original rock acts. The improvement in production and consistent performances by all three musicians makes this a must-listen.
Whether this is a sign of an upcoming full-length album is hard to say. Each of their releases feels like a gift that could be their last. Missing out on such a possibility would make me reconsider who would be the real FUUL, them for not releasing it or us for not supplying the demand to make one.
