The Front Bottoms Release New Album: 'In Sickness & In Flames'
By Maddie Rice
New Jersey band The Front Bottoms have put out their seventh album via Fueled by Ramen. In Sickness & In Flames came out on August 21st after a series of singles were released, including tracks like “camouflage” and “Fairbanks, Alaska.”
The album addresses themes of self-realization, anxiety, relationships, and more. It opens with the track, “everyone blooms,” an energetic song that spouts lyrics of optimism, such as, “Everyone blooms in their own time” and “You’re gonna be fine.” In “camouflage,” TFB discusses the anxieties that come along with relationships and feeling emotionally and/or physically distant from your partner with lines such as, “I gotta make a commitment and it’s stressing me out” and “I mean, obviously I’m distant/I’m a thousand miles away.”
On the other hand, some of the album’s lyrics are lackluster. For example, “jerk” the song is mainly repetitive, consisting primarily of the phrases, “The things like that don’t matter” and “Yeah, I know that I look like a jerk, like a jerk,” over and over again. The theme of self-realization is prominent throughout the track, but TFB does not deliver a meaningful message about it.
Another track called “the truth” is reminiscent of early TFB’s sound with its inclusion of twangy acoustic guitar. Despite this, during the bridge and chorus, some synth is added, making the song sound kind of dreamy and less folk. More electro-pop elements are also included in “jerk” and “new song d,” once again straying from their usual acoustic folk-punk sound. With these tracks considered, the band tries to stick to their roots with some hints of their usual sound, but their experimentation with pop and electronic elements is a far cry from their original work.
Compared to a lot of earlier releases, this album falls a little flat in regard to their ability to captivate their audience, especially after many were disappointed with the direction of the previous album, Going Grey (2017). The main aspects that could be improved upon are the meaningless, generalized lyrics and the overproduced quality of the album. The lyrics are often repeated many times, spreading empty messages. Their sound has become a little more pop, and a little less raw and punk, and for many, this is a change they could’ve done without.
Alongside the release of their album, TFB hosted two outdoor dates on the east coast for a “drive-in” tour earlier this month. They played a lot of their classic hits, with about a third of their setlist consisting of the new album. Looking at social media, many fans that attended the shows thought that their music is not suited towards this drive-in format, as their usual crowds are high-energy, full of moshing and crowd surfing; however, it’s better than nothing. Likely, regular concerts will not return until at least 2021.
Regardless, you should check out TFB’s new album and make opinions of your own—it’s certainly a worthwhile listen, even if it’s slightly different from what fans might expect from the group. Additionally, if TFB ever heads out on the road again, you should make sure to see them, even if from your vehicle.
Keep up to date with The Front Bottoms!
You can also watch a recap of their virtual album release stream below!