English multi-instrumentalist Nick Frater has the nerve to call his new album Earworms, a bold move since that term is mostly used for songs that a listener is desperately trying to get rid off, with clunkers as The Final Countdown and We Build This City as the particularly nasty ones. Frater is an old school songsmith, sketching out the melody and adding layer upon layer to create orchestral power pop anthems. Lead single It's All Rumours sets the tone, going all out with George Harrison inspired guitar, topped off with a bit of Electric Light Orchestra bravado as the icing on the cake.
The music is smooth and complex simultaneously, thanks to the big names who helped him out. Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfsh/Beck), Darian Sahanaja (Wondermints/Brian Wilson), Mike Randle (Love/Baby Lemonade), and Dana Countryman are fully aware that they had the opportunity to work with a musician's musician. The real bite can be found in the lyrics, with him running out of patience in What's With Your Heavy Heart?, and calling out those who claim to have found religion in Not Born Again. Earworms is filled with melodic rock that is the opposite of being schmaltzy. He offers some sound advice for the brokenhearted in How To Survive Somebody. Frater is bold even when he is tender.
Earworms will be released on November 19 via Big Stir Records (vinyl, CD, digital). The non-album B-side I Remain Convinced can be streamed here.
- It's All Rumours
- Buggin' Out
- What's With Your Heavy Heart?
- Lucky Strike
- Star-Crossed
- Not Born Again
- Desert Ships
- The Unbroken
- Who Says I Need A Plan At All?
- How To Survive Somebody
HCTF review of Fast & Loose.
