FIDLAR shouldn't be good. With their pre-teen analysis of hangovers and love of skating and weed, Fuck It Dog, Life's A Risk's (yes, that's what it actually stands for) sound and philosophy should really belong on the Tony Hawk soundtrack, not in 2015. But now they're back with second album 'Too', which hasn't really developed on the chaotic riffs and immature lyrics of their first effort, but still has you hunting for your old deck and trying to remember how to make a home-made bong out of a litre bottle of coke.
Revamped oldie West Coast appears early on, still boasting its catchy Blink 182 'Dammit'-style melody, but is given a little more depth with a middle eight, taking it from its original two-minute length to over a whopping three minutes. Which for pop punk is hard, y'know.
However, catchy riffs and partying aside, this new FIDLAR record actually gets pretty deep. Frontman Zac Carper's newfound sobriety through attending rehab is a massive issue here, evident through the likes of 'Sober', a bitter-sweet song that highlights the benefits of stopping getting wasted and the downfalls: "I figured out as I got sober that life just sucks when you get older."
But it's not all meaningful lyrics and catchy tunes though, as their brattish behaviour does sometime borders on the extreme in tracks like 'Why Generation', a rushed sounding track that sounds like it was written by some sixth formers that have just started studying basic philosophy.
Overall it's a fantastic second effort, but with the slow descent of partying within the heart of the group… what the hell are they going to write about next? Zac's right: growing old sucks.
7/10
Words: Jamie Carson
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