There comes a time (often the mid-twenties) when we are still stuck in the outsized feelings of our youth, but we begin to realize how absurd they are. We realize that the world won’t end if we get rejected and a bad day doesn’t predestine eternal suffering. But we still kinda feel like it will. Former Friends of Young Americans self-titled EP is a document of this time.
On first listen, I thought this EP was just a spewing of self-pity. “Anomaly,” the second track, changed my mind. The line “My heart’s a fucking anomaly” made me cringe. But then the phrase “…only a narcissist” is repeated through the rest of the song. FFYA know full well that these feelings are silly. That doesn’t mean they can be ignored.
FFYA are not trying to reinvent the wheel. They take the elements that make up indie rock and mix them to their liking. Opener “Invincible” goes from spacey synths and distorted vocals to a punk bridge, then combines all of these. “You Said You Would” is a piano-driven pop number that could morph into a honky-tonk stomp without much trouble. “My Misery,” the EP’s slowest number, starts with a gorgeous piano intro.
“You Said You Would” is my favorite track, by far. The band uses sunny pop (which I’m a sucker for) to offset the breakup hidden in the lyrics. It’s the EP’s sole moment of optimism, and it brings out the best in the band.
On their MySpace page, FFYA say they make “Music to Kill Yourself To.” Poking fun at their depression-laden lyrics, no doubt. But when hearing the lyric “Tell me why I’m full of fear” on “My Misery,” one can’t help but root for the speaker to pull out of the sadness, justified or not. Check out FFYA at Goathead Saloon on March 10th for their tour kickoff to see if he made it through.
