Since steadily building their way to the top tier of Glasgow's abundant music scene, Fatherson have been penning pretension-free, thinking man's crunch-pop pearls for years. Their songs have always packed a depth few bands can muster, and luckily for us its no different on their fantastic third album 'Sum Of All Your Parts'.
After brooding, heart-punching opener 'The Rain', it's clear within seconds this record will pack all the emotional punch o their previous works. First single 'Making Waves' shows their masterful knack of mixing poignant and cathartic lyrics with spiky, quickening pop choruses. An arena-rodgering ripper of many to come.
'Charm School', with its slinking bassline and fun, Silversun Pickups-esque chorus, finds them perhaps at their most jovial on 'Sum Of Your Parts'. But it's also when Ross Leighton digs deep on the emotions that 'Sum..' truly soars. The gorgeous 'Nothing to No One' (featuring a guest spot from Bryde's Sarah Howells) builds into a tender, epic indie-pop anthem; one of their best songs to date. 'Reflection' equally treads this ground, being delicatetely crafted amid soft keys and packed with emotion.
Having produced their past two records themselves, the slick production values on 'Sum.. add a welcome freshness courtesy of Claudius Mittendorfer (Arctic Monkeys/Weezer). But ultimately, it's Fatherson's heart-on-the-sleeve sincerity and solid songs that will give them longevity. They've done it again.
8/10
Words: Clarke Geddes
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