Review Summary: Some things change, but I don't know how.
Let me tell you something: trying to multitask with
Why Is This Happening To You? playing in the background is an exercise in futility. In attempting to write this very review, I foolishly thought I could just put it on as the perfect soundtrack. Having the album you're reviewing on would make sense, right? Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Fotbal's newest doesn't just demand the listener's full, undivided attention. It actively holds you hostage until you put down whatever unimportant thing you were doing and listen. And for my money, that's the sort of reaction every band should strive for. I'm ringing the proverbial endorsement bell as loud as I can for this and if you decide to check it, you'll inevitably see why.
This Czechian act doesn't have very many releases under their belt (as of this writing), so my targets for comparison are their debut album (2019's
Moon Landing Revival) and that's it, so bear with me. That album was solid in it's own right, but in retrospect, it's relegated to a well-drawn blueprint. A novel one, mind you; mixing dream pop and shoegaze noise with krautrock isn't something you hear everyday. But I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is an improvement on their first in nearly every regard. Opening track "Garden" shifts the band over to danceable art punk funk and noise rock, yet they're still driven by the same motorik rhythm of their previous work. Songs tended to drag on a little long and get repetitive on their last record, but on
Why Is This Happening To You?, every second sounds purposeful and composed. Nary a piece of fat to trim. Which is impressive given the album's 6 tracks long. I have a bad habit of zoning out sometimes with longer songs, but like I said before, this is a record that grabs you and doesn't let go until the final note's strummed. The guitar on tracks like "Next Time" and "Rest of Me" flow freely while still managing to keep form and focus, while the vocals (especially on the latter track) modulate between haunting gothic poetry and dreamy pop whimsy with ease.
There will be those that aren't fans of this band's particular sound. I know that. But to me, this was an electrifying listen and a perfect example of a sophomore album done right. Fotbal sound like a goddamn machine on
Why Is This Happening To You?, with every moving part they added working full throttle. And the stationary parts that carried over from their first record were forcefully polished until you could see your own reflection in them. I maintain that their last album was a great debut. But this? This is the follow-up that could (and should) put them on the map. Or, at the very least, a stronger blip on your crowded new release radar.
