Yes, I am aware of the bold statement I made with the title of this post. Allow me to explain.
This six-piece out of Toronto is one of the last great hopes for punk music and all it once represented. Fucked Up forges its path based on their D.I.Y. aesthetic, musicians who choose intensity first with technique running neck and neck and thoughtful, challenging lyrics delivered as a confrontational, passionate scream. Their first two full lengths Hidden World and The Chemistry of Common Life are epic and sprawling, a punch in the gut while it messes with your preconceived notions about music. It would have been already noteworthy to report on Fucked Up's forthcoming album. It appears the band has even grander plans than just a simple album release.
The 18-track LP David Comes To Life is due for a June 7 street date on Matador. The album's sprawling concept will center on a man in a fictional British town in the late seventies. To further flesh out this "rock opera", Fucked Up will be recording music for fake bands from that era to be included in another album. This faux compilation entitled David's Town will have a physical release on Record Store Day April 16. Give a listen to one of the made-up bands Animal Men and the song "Do You Feed?" below.
The first taste of Fucked Up's actual music from David Comes To Life came a couple of weeks back in the form of a free download. "The Other Shoe" features lovely female vocals juxtaposing frontman Damon Abraham's "signature" voice styling. This is the first of four teaser tracks trickling out until the lead up to the album release.
The second track was released today culminating in a free live performance/release party tonight in Palm Springs that coincides with this weekend's Coachella Festival. "A Little Death" is a true punk anthem on fire. The layers of guitars hit shoulder to shoulder with Abraham's chant for inspiration against all odds. The next two releases "Ship of Fools" and "One More Night" are due out April 26 and May 3 respectively. Who knows what publicity stunts will occur for those unveilings.
If that was not enough, after looking over the album's website it seems that there is a lot more coming including characters, prose and possible plot twists. Consider me enthralled. If they manage to pull off this grand feat, then consider 2011 as The Year of Fucked Up.
Bonus: Watch a video of Fucked Up playing live at the Viaduct Theater back in February of 2010. I wrote a review of the show that you can read here. Check out the audience participation referenced in the review at 3:55.
Fucked Up - A Little Death (Download)
Fucked Up - The Other Shoe (Download)
Animal Man (Fucked Up) - Do You Feed (Download)
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