REVIEW: Fastbacks, Win, Lose or Both EP (Popllama)
- Scott A. Miller
Consumable's Al Muzer once described the Fastbacks as an "excellent Go Go's in hyperdrive version of L7 with hooks." I could give you a few more fluffy adjectives about the band's sound, but the truth is Al hit the nail on the head.
Guitarist/songwriter Kurt Bloch plays his power pop hooks with an energy and crunch that The Go Go's seemed uninterested in. Plus, you could brew coffee with the perkiness of Kim Warnick (bass and vocals) and Lulu Gargiulo (guitar and vocals). It's easy to see why this band has survived since 1979 - and, no, that's *not* a typo.
Win, Lose or Both gives listeners a good sense that the sound and energy from each of the band's studio efforts translates almost verbatim to the live setting. This is an EP in name only. After the four new studio songs, listeners are treated to nine tracks from the band's 1997 tour. And because the band does such a great job of capturing its live sound in the studio (or its studio sound live), the live tracks come across as an extension of the four new songs, not just some music lacquered on the end to make the EP a better value.
The four new songs (three by Bloch and one by Dr. Frank) continue the Fastbacks' tradition of short, punky bursts of power-pop energy. "So Wrong" is the most furiously played song I've heard this year. And the Dr. Frank number, "Book of Revelation," is a speed-pop dream complete with a classical-style guitar hook -- all in just over two minutes of playing time.
The live set isn't really a set; it was taken from several performances. But it feels coherent because the band starts out loose and even a little flat but ends up sharp as a tack.
Some good-natured goofing after the opening eventually gives way to a little real anger at a rude fan screaming for "Rocket From the Crypt." Like real pros, though, the band doesn't channel its fury toward the audience, but funnels it back into the songs with slashing chords, jack-hammered snares and crackling vocals.
It's no surprise the Fastbacks are legends in their native Seattle. What is surprising -- and so totally uplifting -- is that nearly 20 years after forming the band can still get you on your feet with some of the brightest, most energetic rock on CD.
