Familiar Action - Familiar Action Review
On their self-titled debut, Familiar Action exhibit a collection of quirky tracks that have an odd feeling of nostalgia to them.
London-based Familiar Action have grown substantially since their inception. Originally sharing demos between one another, these ideas were later reworked and re-recorded into Familiar Action’s off-kilter self-titled debut, a collection of theatrical dark pop that’s a whole lotta weird and wonderful. The band, being comprised of brothers Tom and Ned Armstrong, really lets that synergy between the two songwriters show throughout this album’s runtime.
Opening track ‘The Great Divide’ grips you with its enthralling drums and showcases the effervescent guitars that infect the bloodstream of this record. Its opening bars, perhaps most immediately akin to those of Mac Demarco’s ‘Chamber of Reflection’, are a perfect prelude to the kind of lazy and off-kilter vocals that the track later deploys to great effect.
The second track on the album and lead single ‘Nausea’ is a raucous blaze of angular guitars and crunchy vocals. Wearing the influence of Jean Paul Sartre literally on its sleeve, drawing its title from the philosopher’s novel, the track creates an atmosphere of discontent and panic. Yet there’s something playful in the delivery, which seems to be a consistent theme from the record, aiming to tackle bigger topics without being too cliché or overbearing. It is its successor, ‘Hand That Takes’, that kicks the album into a good groove, with some acoustic guitars and a lovely organ presence.
‘The Small House & the Mountain” is one of the more fun tracks on the record. I can’t help but think of Talking Heads or, even more bizarrely, Blondie. There’s a theatrical nature to this track that seems to permeate throughout much of the album. It isn’t until ‘Moment’, a track that seems to have a depressing sensibility to it in comparison to the rest of the record, that the album gets more serious. Speaking about the themes of the record Armstrong shares “Our aim was to cultivate an overall atmosphere using imagery rather than specific themes. Because the album is mostly character-driven, the lyrics aren’t necessarily a representation of any clear theme, but more of a vehicle to arrive at some kind of abstract mood. Having said that, there is a definite focus on disillusionment with modern life present throughout the album.”
On their self-titled debut, Familiar Action exhibit a collection of quirky tracks that have an odd feeling of nostalgia to them. Whilst the tracks feel warmly familiar (pardon the pun), there’s undoubted individuality to this group that makes them stand out. The peculiar vocals and eccentric music in particular are a strong highlight. Additionally, there’s closeness to the production on the record, creating an intimate atmosphere that stays consistent throughout.
