Sam's BEST OF 2019 #4

4.Us – Faintheart

I saw these handsome son's of bitches just before I started seeing my current girlfriend.

There's no purpose for that statement I just think it's kind of funny also I remember them playing this song at that show and months later it did this weird thing for me where it dropped, I listened to it, thought it was fantastic, forgot about it, heard it again, and now I can't help but not jam to this summery little tune.

These guy's are another pop punk kind of emo group that make the catchiest most easily sing along session ready tunes you'd ever heard in your entire fucking life and the fact that they got a pretty devoted local following should come as no surprise because they know what the fuck they're doing they're just in need of everyone else coming to realize these bright airy tunes are what they need in their lives.

This song is subtle it gently lulls you in before busting out a very energetic and dreamy chorus that makes you think of riding the bike along a coast line during the summer as you see a very attractive girl in a sundress walking by and as she gives you the sweetest smile you've ever seen in your entire fucking life you're then transported to this cloud like state of euphoria that you didn't know could exist nor do you ever want it to go away.

If you haven't felt that feeling then listen to this song, get that feeling, see these guy's live, get your fucking mind blown, awkwardly hit on a girl, and live your best fucking life supporting people making great stuff ya fucking asshole.

 

Song of the Day 1/16/19

Colette-Faintheart

So you want an insanely catchy set of pop punk tunes ready to rock out to and sing every lyric to with a cute girl who's name most likely begins with the letter A then OH you need to acquaint yourself with this bands early 2018 release The Overview Effect because that EP kicks some serious ass and of all the tracks on it that tickled my fancy the most I'd have to say it was this little short but sweet number.

That Ep in question had a host of heavier more focused tunes that attempted and in most cases succeeded in being something fairly larger than the sum of their parts but if you where familiar with my adoration of their 2017 cut Two Hearted then you'd probably not be surprised to know that the tune that I liked the most was this fun little pop punk tune.

"We don't always have to be our insecurities, defining enemies we divide and disagree," it's something I frankly kept singing wrong until I typed out the right lyrics after looking them up on their website BUT YOU SURE AS FUCK KNOW IT DIDN'T STOP ME FROM SINGING ALONG! 

That's the biggest strength this tune as well as most of their catalog is just how easy it is to find yourself singing along to every single song and isn't that what makes pop punk so much fun?

Sam's Top 10 of 2017 #7

7.Two Hearted-Faintheart

If there was a quintessential quality to pop punk that gives it a certain quality that lead to it becoming such a popular genre is the fact that lyrically it's a very light hearted genre of music that takes you back to a time when things were simpler and more like those cheesy Teen movies that we all watched and loved every single moment of only to eventually grow up and move on from all backed up by a melody that has enough girth to make it substantially more meaningful than your typical teen pop fair.

It's these occasional bits of simple unadulterated joy that leaves us to listen to this genre and of all the tunes to bring upon those child like senses of joy I'd say that this song was like the love life I've wanted but haven't gotten all year and you know what that's better than being a bitter piece of shit.

2 Hearted is a tune that instantly hooked me on these guy's right from that opening rift which is reminiscent of early 2000s pop punk with it's high hat heavy speedily played percussion and fairly straightforward but effective rifts you get a tune that's an overall a quality listen that fly's by faster than it's nearly 4 minute run time would suggest and until I got about to writing this post I kind of just maybe realized that. 

Faintheart are a band that just got their start this year and that I've had the pleasure of seeing grow up and mold into something cool and when I got around to seeing them fairly recently very drunk I decided to ask them about this wonderful bit of pop punk joy that is this song and these are some of the things they had to say:

What Inspired 2 Hearted?

4 loves and weird life situations.

How's 2017 been for you guys?

It's been great we're 1 year old and recording and writing a new album!

What's 2018 have in store for you?

We plan to keep writing so much more! Release more music after that we hope to connect with as many people as we can!

The KC Showcase: Faintheart

(Image Courtesy of bands facebook)

Faintheart like many bands I cover here on Sam's Song of the Day are an alternative rock band from Kansas that are crafting some delightfully catchy indie rock tunes that have a very early 2000's emo tone to them who dropped their debut self titled EP not too long ago and recently after deciding to offer it up for free to help promote their upcoming gig at 96.5 The Buzz's Homegrown Buzz Local Music Showcase I figured I'd get around to covering this group I've not so low key been giving quite a few listens to over the past few weeks.

Like I stated Faintheart have a kind of early 00's Emo feel in their music and with their very fast tempo's in tracks like the exceptional, “Two Hearted,” give me memories of those old Victory Music Sampler CD's they use to give out in random magazines back in the day which isn't a bad thing because that sound is still pretty relevant as the teenagers that bought that stuff back then are now adults and if Buzzfeed is any suggestion still love to reminisce over those kinds of sounds.

“Two Hearted,” is a very bouncy little emo tinged kind of pop punk sounding number with a quick tempo and high pitched vocals that perfectly carry lyrics about how two hearts are better than one, which let's be real here who doesn't love when lines are that delightfully cheesy, which give the tune a very Cute is What We aim for feeling but with more heft and a vocalist that seems more in control of how to properly deliver a tune with out it being almost too poppy for it's own good and those same thoughts are also carried over to tracks like, “Common Sense,” with it's heavy use of synthesizers and a chorus that's incredibly in your face and demanding that you remember it.

Overall this EP is a good first impression that is filled with plenty of solid tunes that showcase a good range of sounds from these guy's with the only real gripes I have being that they don't have a complete sense of identity in place to give you this idea that what you're hearing is definitive to this band but even with that said tracks like, “Close Your Eyes,” and the exceptional and addictive, “Two Hearted,” are too good to really hold that against them and I'm sure as they continue to try and grow as a band they'll mature their sound and really start producing a bunch of winners but until then this fast paced 13 minutes of pop punk is a pretty good starting point.

Download for free here: http://noisetrade.com/wearefaintheart

3.5/5

Best: Two Hearted

Worst: You and I