Review Summary: Two years after their initial LP, “Insanity Later” Folly comes back with their sophomore release “Resist Convenience.” Still under the radar to most, Folly comes back with a solid follow up.
Two years after their initial LP, "Insanity Later" Folly comes back with their sophomore release
Resist Convenience. Still under the radar to most, Folly comes back with a solid follow up. They retain their roots of ska and hardcore and incorporate a somewhat poppy feel within the record.
Folly wastes no time, with the 31 second song “Brooks Wuz Here.” Unrestrained, this song gleams a light upon the album of what to expect, and that is wacky lyrics, plenty of screaming, great melodies, the always-pleasing hardcore breakdowns.
Needles in the grass?
Ok, snakes in the hay.
Homogeny is engulfing culture.
Strip malls and chains tear down the sanctity of days,
supplant ancestry with amenity.
Melting pots before thee, this blood will boil free.
In 31 seconds, vocalist, Jon Tummillo manages to get the word out on the wrongs of American society as it is today. This is simply saying how everyone is the same in society, we are being overrun by globalization, and we are losing touch with our ethics and becoming more ‘Americanized.’ Whew, that’s a load to take in, but “Bonfire of the Manatees” IMMEDIATELY takes the seriousness out with the following line,
Aquatic fortitude! “Bonfire of the Manatees” is the first song of many in which Jon Tummillo actually shows his singing ability. As compared to “Insanity Later,” which had practically no signing, “Resist Convenience” provides listeners with a change between constant screaming. Musically, it is a roller coaster between styles and pace, but along with roller coasters, every piece is put in at appropriate times in order to ensure a pleasurable experience.
“The Wake,” designated as the single, provides skacore-pop, the newest genre that they have created. Soothing ska upbeats and palm-muted riffs, nothing really stands out musically within the songs inner grasps. Yet, it is easily the most enjoyable and relaxing with the catchy chorus line that goes a little something like this:
To think your only god would flaunt you.
To think your only god would fight you!
After hearing “The Wake,” and its indefinite stage for possible radio purposes, I thought, that was just a decoy for what was about to come. “We Still Believe” was the next track that caught my attention. With a sturdy bass-line acting as the backbone, it flows whimsically through with clean guitar riffs here and there and steady drums that escalates at the end. The two guitars, bass and drums begin to play different notes and rhythms that blend from an off-time pattern between the four and it discretely ends in a defiant breakdown.
Folly, like most bands, have a song that is a fan favorite, an anthem per say. “Broken,” a track that they had ever since their EP, was re-released for this album, and it is without question their anthem. After a simple intro that gets the blood flowing, everything is released.
BREATHE ME IN
LIKE AIR INNOCENT.
My fingers bleed.
I've been writing too much.
Preventing these words from searing my battered throat.
And I can't even scream so I sketch your face.
If there were song to sum up Folly’s style, musicianship, and energy, this is the granddaddy of them all. The verse, a steady calm ska riff followed by a pounding double bass leading into chaos that once again flows into the verse and then everything goes serene. One guitar starts with a very simple string-plucking followed by a second guitar filling the void and drums to keep a steady beat with accompanying lyrics, then as the song implies, it breaks down into a breakdown (zing!). The song then continues into an outro that fills out the song perfectly. If there is one song to download or checkout from the Folly collection, let it be “Broken.”
As for the rest of the album, “Forfeit Sundials,” “All The Kings Horses,” and “Operation: Work: Lift-Face” round out the stronger songs to take from this release. The rest of the songs are decent, but they all seem to be lacking something whether it is intensity or just a lackluster effort. Overall, for a second release Folly put out a great record. They do no disappoint fans nor newcomers to their music. Between “Insanity Later" and this release, this album would be a better “starter” Folly record but they both equally hold their own ground and shine to a certain merit.
Recommended Tracks:
Broken
Forfeit Sundials
Bonfire of the Manatees
