I’ll admit, ‘Fail Forward’ was mistakenly put on shuffle on its first play. That it managed to hold together as an album even with a random order of tracks shows just how easy Wank For Peace’s latest LP is to get into. After thirteen tracks, ‘Fail Forward’ doesn’t feel wearing or dull, and there’s plenty to revisit here.
‘Friends First’ follows the footsteps of Lifetime and Kid Dynamite – which is to say that it’s a great start. Just over a minute’s worth of frenetic drumming mixed with a guitar hook that begs a repeat listen is promising. It segues into ‘Heavy Shoulders’ which slows things down just a bit. That’s a sign of good pacing. Thirteen tracks of two-minute long bangers may sound exciting on paper but in practice that’s difficult to carry out and it’d grate after a while.
After the introduction, ‘Was That What You Expected Kid’ is a eulogy of sorts, centred on an adult looking back at the life he imagined he’d have as a child. The lyricism is sharp, ending on a shout-along of “And I’m stuck with an image of myself, Expired for many years” which sticks for a while after the track ends. Just as everything becomes more pensive and the tempo seems to be about to stall, ‘Choices/Feedback’ opens it all up again, resisting any claims of a mid-album slump.
The repetition within ‘Twelve Cheese Sticks’ probably speaks more to the songwriter than the listener, perhaps a weak point in the LP but not a significant one. The same goes for the ‘Interlude’, but in this case it serves as an introduction for the following track, ‘Mea Culpa’. The drums really shine in ‘Mea Culpa’, which is a testament towards the production on the album – verging on messy but remaining accessible – and credit goes to the drummer himself, of course.
The conclusion to ‘Fail Forward’ leaves a lasting impression – as it should – where ‘How High Can You Fall’ manages to create an atmosphere of desperation which works well with the vocals which are searing and rasping in equal parts. And finally, ‘We’re Not Done Yet, Sorry’ is another strong-point which begins with, “Born among flowers, Live in the dirt, we chase the good, try to live for the better.” When the storming drums fade in behind that first verse, it sounds brilliant. Clearly, Wank For Peace know all about how to start and end a record.
There’s a lot to appreciate off this LP. ‘Fail Forward’ sparks and spits with speed, pacing itself well to avoid feelings of repetition – for the most part. The song-writing is strong, with liberal use of shout-alongs which carry a great deal of emotion. Well produced and backed up by some excellent rhythm within the drums and bass, this is an album which offers a lot to the listener without demanding too much in return.
SAMARTH KANAL