by Fit for Rivals
Genres: Emo, Pop-Punk, 2010s, Alt Rock
‘Hit Me’ is an electric opener with some amazing howling from Renee that really sells the edge of this track. And it’s not too edgy either, it’s just plain fun.
‘Light That Shines’ - reading the lyrics on their own, you’d expect this one to be a bit cheesy—and maybe it is, maybe a little saccharine, but I really think it works. Not a stand out, but a good song.
‘Gave It Away’ - oh no! Slut-shaming the song! But really, this one is fine. I could almost mistake this for a Metric song if it wasn’t for Renee’s unique and scratchy voice. A very bass-forward song, which seems unusual for this band, but works for the track!
‘Special Kind of Crazy’ is probably my favorite Fit For Rivals song; there is something so visceral about her delivery of, “I want inside your broken heart” and “I want you near/I want to be inside of you!” The lyrics themselves are so simple but her delivery makes it feel so pleading and desperate, reciprocal but just so deep in the narrator’s feelings that this sort of mantra is all they can manage.
‘Freak Machine’ - another one of my favorites, this one is super fun. Not a lot to say about it, but its a strong song.
‘Novocain’ - Something about this song’s lyricism bothers me—perhaps the verses feel a little droning, the rhymes and form of them just simple and sort of teenage in their word choice…that being said, the chorus has a tendency to worm its way into my brain, so I it definitely succeeds at something there!
‘Gimme the Pain’ - not a standout track to me, sadly
‘Agent Orange’ - I feel like this one could grow on me if I let it, but it’s also not really a standout to me
‘I Am’ - a fun one :^) With lines proclaiming the narrator as both “what you desire in every way” and “the worst mistake you will ever make”, it paints a picture of a chaotic relationship that you keep coming back to, and something about this song just makes me feel like you’re watching some young punks get rowdy in a bar. Fun is really the best word for it, I think!
‘The Devil (Inside)’ - I’ve had a soft spot for this song since I first heard it…there’s a sincerity to it that I am drawn to. The vocals, the slow bass melody, the drum’s crashing cymbals that get faster and harder as you approach the chorus—it really reflects the apathy of losing yourself and then the catharsis of realizing how far you’ve sunken.
It’s interesting to really put into context that this is the closing song of the album, when so many of these tracks have been high energy, so many where the narrator is steadfast and confident even while proclaiming their faults, this is like a final look behind the curtain that I really enjoy.
