It's probably a little late to be talking about New Year's resolutions. But if I had some, one of them would be to write about more bands from "my area" — which I would loosely define as anything in between the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers (even though I'm technically a few miles west of that). On that note, The Falling Out are an awesome band from Philadelphia, and their new album Don't is one of the most original and interesting things I've heard in a while. It comes to us from the ever-reliable Dummest Records, who also proudly rep the City of Brotherly Love.
Don't is a not-quite sophomore album from The Falling Out. It's more like album 1.5, as it's comprised of a few tracks the band wrote for its debut LP (but were not properly mixed in time to be on the album) as well as newly remixed versions of some songs that were on the album. The first time I listened to this record, I didn't know quite what to make of it. It doesn't quite fit into any of my usual go-to genres. But that's not a bad thing at all. As I continued to listen, I was really blown away by the quality of the songs and the undeniable appeal of the band. Broadly, The Falling Out sound like garage rock meets reverb-heavy indie/alternative with co-ed harmony vocals and the feel of '60s pop and rock 'n' roll. Sometimes they remind me of X if they'd been into the Jesus and Mary Chain. Other times, I'm hearing a less-campy Cramps. Other times, they aren't too far off from the loud crunching garage/punk/pop I'm always so fond of. The band enlisted EJ Hagen to mix and master these tracks. So the unreleased songs are now ready for the world to hear, and the previously released tracks have been given a slightly noisier edge. It all comes together nicely, which is no surprise given that all these songs were written around the same time. There's a great variety of tunes on this album. Songs like "I Draw the Line" and "We're Alright" work a more controlled pace and really let those harmonies and melodies breathe. "I Don't Believe in Love" and "Dead Dumb and Blind" are full-bore rockers that absolutely pound. "I Don't Wanna Cry" is straight-forward garage/punk/powerpop that totally rules. "Falling," one of the remixed tracks from the self-titled album, is one of the catchiest and most exhilarating rock 'n' roll tunes you'll hear all year.
If you enjoyed The Falling Out's debut album, you'll certainly enjoy Don't. And if Don't is your first exposure to The Falling Out, it will surely make you want to hear the debut album. This Philly trio has a cool vibe and legit killer songs, and it's certain that I will be following this band closely in the future. Hand-stamped red cassettes are available now from Dummest Records' Bandcamp!
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