āTooā is the second album of Southern Californian skater foursome FIDLAR. Arising out of the depths of lead vocalist Zac Carperās road to sobriety, the album deals with surprisingly deep and thoughtful topics, despite the preconceived image you may have of the band, the name of which stands forĀ āFuck It Dog, Lifeās A Riskā.
This album kicks off with the rambunctiously rollicking ā40oz On Repeatā, with a strong beat and punchy vocals, a song in which lead vocalist Zac Carper screams his desperate state of mind, the lyrics concerning all the struggles of a lonely, broke, angry, and socially anxious 20-something-year-old -Ā āWell I tried to ask you out about a thousand times / In my head you just always say no.ā - turning to alcohol to solve his problems -Ā āAnd I donāt care at all/ Iāll drink some alcohol/ Itāll make me who I really wanna beā.Ā āPunksā is a teeth-gnashing punk track, finding its roots amongst drug abuse and relationship turmoil. The track āWest Coastā has a polished, poppy feel, with a light-hearted beat and a series of upbeatĀ āaahsā that lift the song up. The song is almost a summer anthem, and primarily concerned about a road trip up the west coast, even if theyāre drugged out. The song does convey some sort of urgent desperation of the bored suburban kid, and the struggles of the expectation to grow up and get a job as Carper sings in a frenzy āIām so sick of this stupid place' andĀ āI should go and get a life but I donāt want that 9 to 5ā². Why Generation captures the desperation of the millennials, or āGeneration Yā (the title serving as a clever pun) concerning the struggles we face growing up not knowing what to do -Ā āWhere do I belong / Where do I goā. With a blend of woozy, dizzying verses sung by vocalist Elvis Kuehn, and plangent shrieking chorus of Carper, the song is an outspoken cry of the confusion and desperation of the youth of today.Ā
There is an essence of Blink-182-esque humour in the snotty, bratty verses inĀ āSoberā, as Carper expresses his irritation for his unreasonable girlfriend with unrealistic demands. The ridiculously catchy chorus makes the tune a great upbeat song that one canāt help flash a grin to when listening. The strong, punchy beat ofĀ āLeave Me Aloneā has bitter, almost resentful lyrics -Ā āAlright Iām lazy/ And fucking crazy/ And you think Iām putting on some kind of act / But this is me being meā - and seriously strong instrumentals - the bridge of this song just sounds cool.
There are undoubtedly serious elements within the tracks, as aforementioned; āOverdoseā and āStupid Decisionsā tackle Carperās addiction, with heartfelt, angry lyrics. The gritty guitar inĀ āBad Medicineā is fitting with the dirty eponymous subject of drugs, with bassist Brandon Schwartzelās nasal verses tackling the subject of someone battling the effects of addictionĀ āYouāll shake that needle/ And the damage is doneā. āBad Habitsā is another that showcases Carperās own awareness of hisĀ ābad habitsā and his desperation in having to doing soĀ āI drink till Iām mad and I love being sad/ Oh my God Iām becoming my Dadā.
All in all, this album is one of my favourites out there. Itās loud, fun, urgent and fresh, each track serving as a unique tune in its own right.Ā
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