RecklessXRandy
08/24/09, 08:59 AM
fun. - Aim and Ignite
Record Label: Nettwerk
Release Date: August 25, 2009
Let’s flash back to early 2008, on February 4th, to be exact. The Format announced that they will be putting the band on a hiatus, shocking both long time and new fans. Fast forward to September that year and a band by the name of fun. forms. Consisting of Nate Ruess (formerly The Format), Andrew Dost, and Jack Antonoff, this three man band will be known to put out one of my favorite albums of the year 2009. Indie rock or pop, call it whatever you like, but Aim and Ignite is a release that you will thoroughly enjoy.
Being my, and many others', favorite album of 2009 so far, Aim and Ignite will be that album you put on when you want to have some good ol' fun(pun intended). With Steven McDonald(The Format) producing, the album sounds like a variation of The Format that we all know and love with the loss of four members and the gain of two. Ten tracks and 42 minutes never sounded so good.
Infectious is an adjective that you can use to describe Aim and Ignite. “Be Calm” is a great choice for an opener because the track constantly builds to the point where you start off wanting to sway your hips to singing loud enough that someone from two rooms across can hear you. “All The Pretty Girls,” the third track in the album, is a song that should be in the top 40 radio. With its upbeat tempo throughout the song, everyone in America would be singing along.
Starting off with a soft piano that would later become the chorus’s melody, “I Wanna Be the One,” really showcases everyone’s part in the band, whether it’s Ruess’s vocals or the drumming. “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used to Be),” one of the two singles from the album, with its killer hook, “they were laughing and drinking and smoking and singing,” makes it easily one of my favorite tracks on the album.
“Light a Roman Candle with Me,” with its slightly slower tempo, can be just as enjoyable as any other track on the album. “Walking the Dog” and its repeated guitar and the repeated “nah, nah, nah’s” will make you wonder, what’s that song that stuck in my head all week? With its catchy chorus, “Barlights” prepares you for the next track.
My absolute favorite track on the whole album and maybe my favorite song this year, “The Gambler” a beautiful ballad that is made up only Nate’s captivating voice, a piano, and some strings. This track tells a story, the story of falling in love. “Take Your Time (Coming Home)” is almost like a summary of the album, having both upbeat and downbeat tempos. The guitar solo at the end is a great way to end a beautiful and fun album.
If you listen to this album and you’re still just as angry or sad as you were before “Be Calm” started, then I suggest getting yourself checked, because this album does exactly what exactly the band name describes, lets you have fun. Aim and Ignite is an album that, now or twenty years later, will never disappoint me. This isn't The Format 2.0; it's entirely a different thing. If you love pop, then you should know that this is the best pop album released in a long time. With everything going on in 2009, Aim and Ignite shines the brightest this year.
The Format
Record Label: Nettwerk
Release Date: August 25, 2009
Let’s flash back to early 2008, on February 4th, to be exact. The Format announced that they will be putting the band on a hiatus, shocking both long time and new fans. Fast forward to September that year and a band by the name of fun. forms. Consisting of Nate Ruess (formerly The Format), Andrew Dost, and Jack Antonoff, this three man band will be known to put out one of my favorite albums of the year 2009. Indie rock or pop, call it whatever you like, but Aim and Ignite is a release that you will thoroughly enjoy.
Being my, and many others', favorite album of 2009 so far, Aim and Ignite will be that album you put on when you want to have some good ol' fun(pun intended). With Steven McDonald(The Format) producing, the album sounds like a variation of The Format that we all know and love with the loss of four members and the gain of two. Ten tracks and 42 minutes never sounded so good.
Infectious is an adjective that you can use to describe Aim and Ignite. “Be Calm” is a great choice for an opener because the track constantly builds to the point where you start off wanting to sway your hips to singing loud enough that someone from two rooms across can hear you. “All The Pretty Girls,” the third track in the album, is a song that should be in the top 40 radio. With its upbeat tempo throughout the song, everyone in America would be singing along.
Starting off with a soft piano that would later become the chorus’s melody, “I Wanna Be the One,” really showcases everyone’s part in the band, whether it’s Ruess’s vocals or the drumming. “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used to Be),” one of the two singles from the album, with its killer hook, “they were laughing and drinking and smoking and singing,” makes it easily one of my favorite tracks on the album.
“Light a Roman Candle with Me,” with its slightly slower tempo, can be just as enjoyable as any other track on the album. “Walking the Dog” and its repeated guitar and the repeated “nah, nah, nah’s” will make you wonder, what’s that song that stuck in my head all week? With its catchy chorus, “Barlights” prepares you for the next track.
My absolute favorite track on the whole album and maybe my favorite song this year, “The Gambler” a beautiful ballad that is made up only Nate’s captivating voice, a piano, and some strings. This track tells a story, the story of falling in love. “Take Your Time (Coming Home)” is almost like a summary of the album, having both upbeat and downbeat tempos. The guitar solo at the end is a great way to end a beautiful and fun album.
If you listen to this album and you’re still just as angry or sad as you were before “Be Calm” started, then I suggest getting yourself checked, because this album does exactly what exactly the band name describes, lets you have fun. Aim and Ignite is an album that, now or twenty years later, will never disappoint me. This isn't The Format 2.0; it's entirely a different thing. If you love pop, then you should know that this is the best pop album released in a long time. With everything going on in 2009, Aim and Ignite shines the brightest this year.
The Format