Dreamy Madchester-ish indie pop… sorta. This record is like two-each of dreampop, screamy rock, shoegaze, and the completely unexpected. Painstakingly produced and at times impossibly gorgeous. Sensitive-boy vox, incredible harmonies, some edgy rock elements, great sonic sound. Sophomore release from Liam Finn (son of Neil Finn), who always manages to sound melancholy without sounding angsty. I think the quality in his voice might be properly called 'longing'. (Hint: The album title is an acronym for "Fear Of Missing Out".) It's easy enough to compare him to Elliott Smith, but let's face it, he's got his father's voice. This record is five months old, but by KZSU standards, it's practically hot off the presses. Play.

RIYL: Oasis, Echo (at times), The Flaming Lips, Pulp, Crowded House

try: 10, 6, 1
no FCCs

*1. (3:01) padded knocking percussion, heavy echo piano, crystal light vox. such a new wave piano flight. airy plinky dreampop over a deeper rich foundation. gorgeous.
2. (4:09) pushy, sparse, light and quick. has a nice careless casual attitude, despite the tight beat. great deep breakdown midway in.
3. (4:40) waltz. precise and unconventional percussion. blaring synth bridge. reachy elliott-style harmonies. gets bashy in the last minute.
4. (4:17) easy island twist, soft light electric. pleasant but uneventful.
5. (3:11) chilly and groovy. creepy hi-reg piano runs, tension strings, plucks, precise and spare percussion. expert twined melody/harmony lines.
*6. (2:52) scary synth-assist hard-hitting carnival rock. spoken snarled vox. bashy, dark and dirty. didn't know he had it in him.
7. (2:38) sweet midtempo lilt. acoustic and plinky digital butterfly effects. wall of sound harmonies that sound like desert wind. "you're pretty much dead to me."
8. (2:37) hard sharp rocker. fast. wailing yet well-behaved electric. bashy yet tight drums. he makes it sound oh so controlled. "i'm a maniac now." bring on the hairflips.
9. (3:02) hard strummed acoustic roots an undulating indie wave. killer island bends. huge sways and swells. the measures melt into each other.
*10. (5:37) damn! fuzzy reachy gallagher bros rock. wall of sound guitars, spectral layered vox, bashy snare-heavy drums. this track sort of blew me away.