However
it's billed, Fucked Up’s sophomore release
is one of 2008's singular records. For whatever reason, loud punk rock
has fallen out of favor as of late, and with its crunchy power chords
and overdubbed guitars,
The Chemistry of Common Life i
s an unapologetically loud punk record.
Despite a surprisingly visceral first listen, Chemistryreveals
itself to be expertly crafted record with hidden subtleties at every
turn, be they the synths that swirl in the background of "Golden Seal"
or the shared melodies of the album's opener ("Son the Father") and
closer ("The Chemistry of Common Life"). And if you listen hard enough
to the thick growls of frontman Pink Eyes Damien Abraham—think Bob
Mould with a head cold—you'll find a skeptical non-believer genuinely
searching for answers. If all this sounds a little ambitious, it is.
But a little ambition never hurt anyone.