Four Year Strong – In Some Way, Shape Or Form (2011)

Review: Four Year Strong - “In Some Way, Shape Or Form“

Rate: 4.5/5    

When Enemy Of The World was released on March 9, 2010, people said it was the best album of Four Year Strong. And, we can say it was. Until now. The band survived of Josh Lyford (synthesizers) leaving. Now, they were only four. And get better. During their tour with Rise Against, they added to their set one of the new song “Falling On You“. It was the first time that we could listen to a new sound. Then, last summer, we could listen to other new songs, and finally, the first single “Just Drive” was released late September.

12 songs long, the new album “In Some Way, Shape Or Form” is the loudest, the greatest album. The band put the new album online, on their Facebook page 4 days before the release date. It’s coming tomorrow (November 8, 2011) via Decaydance Records / Universal Motown.

Track by track

1. The Infected

It starts with a growing sound. Don’t put your volume too high, the guitar and drums are coming fast, and loud. Then, we find back the big voices of Dan O’Connor and Alan Day. The little guitar breaks make you thrill, maybe even more during a live set. Absolutely, this first song is great to begin the new album. If you dance (you have no choice, you can jump! You jump during this song), you will sweat fast. The last break, quite voice, little guitar is introducing the best jump you can make on this song. Best place to listen to this song: Outside, or in a concert venue.

2. The Security Of The Familiar, The Tranquility Of Repetition

It looks like a Fall Out Boy or Panic! At The Disco song title! No doubt, Four Year Strong IS a Decaydance band. Drums getting loud, big guitar thrills, the 12 first seconds make you wanna know more the song. Lines to know: the chorus. Even at the first listening, you sing along, even without knowing the lyrics. Little break at the 3/4 of the song, but guitar skills awesome. The end is brutal, just like a final stop.

3. Stuck In The Middle

The beginning of the third track is totally different of the two before it. No big drums, a little music on the guitar, some lyrics, and then, the drums. And again the same thing as in the beginning. The chorus is very melodic, again, you sing along. After the second, a break growing, some lyrics, beating the beat of the drums. The break is killed by the loud and big music before the last chorus, the one on which you gonna scream from the bottom of your throat.

4. Just Drive

The same growing as in the first song, and drums coming fast. Guitar skills, 20 seconds before the lyrics, looking calm for the beginning. But the chorus is a little bit featured of screams from Alan. Break composed of little guitar skills and few bass chords.

5. Fairweather Fan

Let the band plug the instrument, and get crazy with the lyrics, starting in few seconds. “You’re becoming what I hated” are going to be your favorite sentence to say, in the same way as it is in the chorus. This is maybe the most pop song on the record, but still in the same part as we know Four Year Strong. Pop, but loud. No break on this song, but a super great outro.

6. Sweet Kerosene

High-pitched guitar chords to start the song, then welcoming powered drums, featured by the voice of the singers. This song is the most rock song of this album, we could hear the same drums in bands such as Blink-182 or All Time Low, and even Green Day. The music, supported by lyrics, is the most energetic of all the album, and maybe of all Four Year Strong’s songs.

7. Falling On You

First song leaked by the band during their tour with Rise Against, it’s all start with massive drums, and great guitar chords. Even with their big voices, when Alan and Dan are singing, it looks like they’re far of their mic. Which gives a great feeling on the song. The break, only vocals, continues with drum beat, and finish to give the guitar their chance to entertain us. The song finishes with the guitars, bass and drums getting down, down, and stop.

8. Heaven Wasn’t Built To Hold Me

If you don’t like big sounds made by guitars and drums, well, don’t listen to this song. It starts loud, heavy, fast. But, if you like when it’s calm, slow, listen to this song! Not to long, little break before the chorus. As usual in this album, guitars and drums (and bass, obviously) are loud to give us the feeling of being in the crowd of their show. Finish the song with, again, loud guitar chords, and drums’ beats.

9. Unbreakable

Turn your volume down when this song is coming! Loudest music intro! Starting in few seconds. WE ARE, UNBREAKABLE! Yes Four Year Strong, you are, and you show it in this song! The song here has not stops! Always music or lyrics. And, most of time, both, of course. As in Falling On You, the end of the song is music getting more and more low.

10. Bring On The World

Multiple guitar chords coming to the drums, stop a little (few fast) for the lyrics and come back quickly to make you dance. Four Year Strong want to prove something (it’s on the lyrics!!), and if it is to say they’re still alive, well, this song could wake up dead people. The break, aaah, the break on this song. Didn’t hear it? 1 second long, but means everything, like “WE’RE COMING FASTER TO MAKE YOU DANCE!” in 1 second. Finishing on “woahohah..” and introducing the next song.

11. Fight The Future

Don’t expect lyrics. Just loud music. And it’s works. It’s hard to stay sat while listening to this song. You just wanna jump everywhere. Headbanging, feeling the bass line. The break is only guitar, followed by the last chorus. This song is really “small” (only 3:04), but make you dance, no matter what.

12. Only The Meek Get Pinched, The Bold Survive

During the 50 first seconds, this last song looks like a little song, calm, vocals, piano. You want to dance with your love. We will never die. We will survive. But, this quite song will die, because the drums want to be here too, and it coming. This last (but not least) song, shows that Four Year Strong can be, in the same album, big sounds, and being lovers, with a slow song. For few moments, yes. We’re still alive, we will never die. Four Year Strong will be here forever? We wish it. The music on this song is the model of the last song of an album. Quiet, then loud, but calm lyrics. When you think the song is over, it’s not, one more minute to like this song. If they play this song live, they will see people dancing, close together, like lovers.

 

 Words:

Edouard C.