Aim & Ignite - fun.
After a
cautious first listen and open mind, fun. has won me over with their brilliant
lyrics and indie rock spirit. There is a sense of fearlessness within their
first album, Aim & Ignite, based on their eagerness to break rules to
create something worthwhile. If you are willing to broaden your horizons beyond
Justin Beiber and Fall Out Boy to a band that will force you to think and
challenge your ears, I urge you to listen to this album.
Once hitting the play button, an accordion breaks the silence joined with a single violin. Lead vocalist, Nate Ruess, starts singing the steady first verse of “Be Calm”. An array of other interesting instruments including cello, viola, trumpet, calliope, and various guest vocals is used to add to an emotional tale of panic and chaos that the lyrics unravel. The chorus is soothing at first, but as tension builds throughout the verses, so does the chorus. The song reaches its’ highpoint of melodic disorder when Ruess struggles to reach a high note that I could only describe as a beautiful contradiction, that leads into the uproar of the final chorus. An orchestral commotion ends the perfect song to lead off this album.
Aim & Ignite, while only about 43 minutes long, holds a dynamic collection of 10 songs. It infuses styles of the three members of the band, Nate Ruess (vocals), Jack Antonoff (guitar), and Andrew Dost (piano). Ruess’s distinct voice and unique composing techniques transferred directly from his former band The Format. Collaborating with Antonoff, who is also in the band Steel Train, and Dost, formerly in the band Anathallo, merged together similar sounds that blend effortlessly.
Each song has a purpose and quality of sound that compliments the others. Whether it is sweet and simple like “I Wanna Be The One” and “Light A Roman Candle”, or lively and spirited such as “Benson Hedges” and “Barlights”. Using the story of how his parents fell in love, Ruess created “The Gambler”, best-described as a cute heartfelt love song. Track 3 “All The Pretty Girls” holds a contagious ‘dance around your room, sing at the top of your lungs’ feel-good sensation. Probably one of the most notable songs is the single “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)”. There is just some kind of magic in the combination of personal story-telling, emotion, and a fun, upbeat melody that they construct. Aim & Ignite manages to arrange brilliant songs in such a way that make each stand out above the other.
The album ends in a complete resolution with the song “Take Your Time (Coming Home)”. It is the ease of uncertainty and chaos that started in the first song. The lyrics are reassuring and the tone is free. It suggests letting go of the past and moving forward.
Once hitting the play button, an accordion breaks the silence joined with a single violin. Lead vocalist, Nate Ruess, starts singing the steady first verse of “Be Calm”. An array of other interesting instruments including cello, viola, trumpet, calliope, and various guest vocals is used to add to an emotional tale of panic and chaos that the lyrics unravel. The chorus is soothing at first, but as tension builds throughout the verses, so does the chorus. The song reaches its’ highpoint of melodic disorder when Ruess struggles to reach a high note that I could only describe as a beautiful contradiction, that leads into the uproar of the final chorus. An orchestral commotion ends the perfect song to lead off this album.
Aim & Ignite, while only about 43 minutes long, holds a dynamic collection of 10 songs. It infuses styles of the three members of the band, Nate Ruess (vocals), Jack Antonoff (guitar), and Andrew Dost (piano). Ruess’s distinct voice and unique composing techniques transferred directly from his former band The Format. Collaborating with Antonoff, who is also in the band Steel Train, and Dost, formerly in the band Anathallo, merged together similar sounds that blend effortlessly.
Each song has a purpose and quality of sound that compliments the others. Whether it is sweet and simple like “I Wanna Be The One” and “Light A Roman Candle”, or lively and spirited such as “Benson Hedges” and “Barlights”. Using the story of how his parents fell in love, Ruess created “The Gambler”, best-described as a cute heartfelt love song. Track 3 “All The Pretty Girls” holds a contagious ‘dance around your room, sing at the top of your lungs’ feel-good sensation. Probably one of the most notable songs is the single “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)”. There is just some kind of magic in the combination of personal story-telling, emotion, and a fun, upbeat melody that they construct. Aim & Ignite manages to arrange brilliant songs in such a way that make each stand out above the other.
The album ends in a complete resolution with the song “Take Your Time (Coming Home)”. It is the ease of uncertainty and chaos that started in the first song. The lyrics are reassuring and the tone is free. It suggests letting go of the past and moving forward.
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