Fight Fire

San Francisco’s Pow!’s new recording is titled Fight Fire. For their second album, the band continues their exploration of dystopia using synth-punk and pop melodies as blueprints for their music. Fight Fire might sound ill-disposed, but it’s an accessible, well-constructed, energetic, and even danceable record. From the press release:

“The songs are at their core razor sharp punk, but are fleshed out with inventive and catchy synth work - and the floating bits of atmospheric expansion between tracks only serve to heighten the paranoid atmosphere”.

RIYL: Units, Damaged Bug, Stalls, Chrome, and, Jack Name.

FCC CLEAN!
Recommended Tracks: 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, and 12

1. (3:00) The Heart & The Spade – Accelerated electro-punk starter with crunchy guitars and 80’s pop touches.
2. (4:02) **Eyesight – Synth-punk all the way. Great rhythm. Units would be proud.
3. (3:20) **Liquid Daydream – Fast tempo tune with great rhythmic structure. Cool Guitars. Catchy as hell.
4. (1:17) Floating on a Block of Ice – Late 1970’s inspired synth driven transitional piece. Spacey.
5. (3:40) *Static (oh no ok) – Hermetic and repetitive. Ritualistic drumming. Sounds very early1980’s San Francisco post-punk.
6. (1:19) *Rise Up From the Center of The Rising Sea – Dense punker driven by intense drumming and synthesizer noises.
7. (1:46) Surrender – Noisy transitional piece with found sounds and a stupid French accent.
8. (2:19) At the Dock – Layers of appliance noises, reverse recordings and other studio trickeries.
9. (2:26) *2000 Now! – Synth driven post-punker with 1950’s TV sci-fi effects. There’s also a no wave vibe on the recording. Cool.
10. (3:04) Cold Blooded Judge – Devo-esque elements at a fast paced rhythm. Guitar solo a la Blue Oyster Cult. Damn!
11. (0:47) Heated House – Another transitional instrumental – prologue to last track.
12. (2:27) **Here Comes The Spade – Well-constructed track with contagious beat and ridiculous glossy effects.