I’m not too sure why but Strike Anywhere‘s switch to Fat Wreck Chords seemed to be a bone of contention with fans – and a surprise to many others. But when you look at Fat’s history of signing up premier ‘punk’ bands, and the fact SA could argue they’d gone as far as they could with their last labels, the marriage wasn’t one of the most controversial you could come across.
One of the major complaints at the time the deal was announced was the concern the band’s sound would somehow merge into that ‘Fat sound’ the label has been pigeonholed with, mainly because of continuous work with producers Ryan Greene and Bill Stevenson. And if I did have a problem with ‘Dead FM’, that would be it – this record has a shine we’ve never had before with Strike Anywhere. And while the band haven’t lost any fire from their bellies – nor have they toned down their sound at all – the Fat ‘sound’ is certainly present and correct.
SA are known for mixing melody, aggression and intellect and ‘Dead FM’ is their most mature effort yet. Not ‘mature’ in the sense they’ve slowed down, more in the sense this is a band that has honed their sound – they know exactly what they want to be and they’ve become great at executing it. ‘Dead FM’ doesn’t break the mould or re-write the band’s sound, but there are subtle changes to the songwriting that are noticeable. There are more harmonies and melodies than ever before – not so much a massive change, but something that makes the record sound deeper and almost adds an extra dimension. ‘Prisoner Echoes’ and ‘The Promise’ are excellent songs, but to be fair there are a number of standouts here and to say one song is better than a host of others would be unfair.
Older fans of the band will very much enjoy ‘Dead FM’ as it’s not so much of a departure to alienate them. Yet at the same time the move to Fat has definitely given them a warmer, fuller feel. They’re still aggressive and still have a point to prove, so write off Strike Anywhere at your peril.