It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life, and I felt the need to review this new Chester French record. It's been nearly three years since the release of their first installment Love The Future so I was a bit overzealous when I heard that Music 4 Tngrs was being released this week. As I've mentioned before I have always been a fan of this band. Their fun, energetic, and pretty much carefree when it comes to expressing themselves which I admire. D.A Wallach, the singer/songwrtiter of the two, makes no promise to bite his tongue as he touches upon topics such as materialism, love, and interracial relationships. Throughout the album you can hear the truth and honesty behind each and every line which makes it more perosnal. Max Drummey, the multifaceted talent behind the production of the album, notes that this album detours from their previous release. It introduces a more electronic atmosphere as opposed to their former retro pop sound.
The album takes off nicely with "Next Big Thing" featuring Pharrell and Pusha T. The escalated guitar in the beginning serves as a nice introduction to the record rather than jumping right into it. This prepares the fans for the creativity that is about to unfold. "Black Girls", the first official single from the album, is probably one of my favorites and not only for the reason that you think. Yes its an ode to beautiful black women of the world but what I like most about the song is their honesty and boldness. This song is personal to both Max and D.A who are in interracial relationships and felt that this was a topic worth discussing. "Drop" is absolutely hilarious to me and I love it. When you hear lyrics like "Put on some Ren & Stimpy while you're getting skimpy" how can you not laugh? I can totally see Lonely Island making a song like this but I'm not sure if that was the intention. On "Mania" D.A finds himself in a bit of a pickle when it comes to choosing his path in life -- simplicity or stardom. Although he seems satisfied with the simple life the desire for fame and fortune has turned this situation into somewhat of a crisis and I can see why. We kind of get to see how this situation unravels on "Maybe Next Time" where D.A discusses how the band's rise to fame ended just as quickly as it started. The album picks up speed again with "Female Version". It relays the compatibility of two counterparts whose lives collide and coincide with one another. Blink 182's Travis Barker contributes his talents to this track and trust me, his name is written all over it. "Just Another Guy" and "Perfect Girl" act as parallels of each other. He's the perfect guy for the girl, she's the perfect girl for the guy -- it's a win win. "Marquis" allows Max Drummey the chance to show off as we get to hear his intricate combination of just about everything.
The level of artistry that is delivered throughout this album is promising. I think that Chester French does a good job of re-introducing themselves as artists leaving me with high hopes for their future. Their previous release focused more on them getting signed and how their lives changed once that happened. This record is completely stripped of the glitz and glam and gives an honest perspective on life as a whole. They discuss their abrupt encounter with reality and their understanding that you can't be next forever. "Next Big Thing" is the perfect introduction for that reason. It sums up the whole meaning of the album and "Interesting Times" serves as an even better closer. There are a few songs that I'll probably have to give a few more listens but overall its solid.
No comments:
Post a Comment