"Number one authority on nothing"
Matthew Nash
Contact Matt at mnash@sequimgazette.com
Matthew Nash hails from Portland, Ore., and stumbled into writing for newspapers when his high school allowed him to write movie reviews. Nash is married to a kindergarten teacher. They have one child together who is named after two superheroes.
A demand for more fun
Published on Fri, Feb 24, 2012Read More Nash
Album: “Some Nights”
Released: Feb. 21
Label: Fueled by Ramen
Note: some questionable language
Web: www.ournameisfun.com
One liners on “Some Nights”
• Some Nights Intro
With an essence of Queen, fun. starts out to pique your interest early before hitting you with…
• Some Nights
When I listen to this song, I feel like I’m sitting in a church choir.
• We are Young
Their most well-known song that is purely catchy and I suppose inspiring.
• Carry On
Another inspiring piece with great backing vocals.
• It gets Better
An enjoyable repetitive song that feels like a band I used to love hellogoodbye.
• Why am I the One
Cat Stevens comes to mind with the chorus. I haven’t watched “Harold and Maude” in a while, so maybe I’m just channeling my need to watch it.
• All Alone
I don’t believe the lyrics because the song’s tone is too happy.
• All Alright
I sense people lifting their hands in the air with cell phones and lighters while everyone chants.
• One Foot
See story…
• Stars
Starts great and fades with odd vocal effects but mostly good stuff.
• Out on the Town
Makes me feel cliché by saying “A fantastic ending that makes you press repeat or just start all over.”
The band fun. couldn’t have released their album at a better time.
Busting with enthusiasm, positive feelings and an eclectic mix of genres, “Some Nights” is an album that I think any of the 11 tracks (including a bonus) could appeal to anyone.
They’ve been exploding across media for some time before the album even released with the hot single “We are Young,” an appearance in a Super Bowl spot and as a remix on the TV show “Glee.”
“Some Nights” follows up fun.’s 2009 album “Aim and Ignite,” (check out the track “Light a Roman Candle with Me”). The band formed from some fantastic bands in their own right, The Format, Anathallo, and Steel Train (all college-time favorites).
The new album’s instrumentation stands out from the first, and years after first hearing him, vocalist Nate Ruess continues to impress me.
He is incredible in every sense, and I don’t think many could sound like him or dare try.
In early reviews, many question fun.’s decision to use vocal effects on a few songs, notably “Stars” and “It gets Better,” but I think it’s an experiment and shouldn’t shame anyone from loving the album.
My least favorite track is “One Foot” because the horn and boot-stomping loop is too repetitive and uninteresting, but I’m sure I’ll grow into it like a badly clipped mustache.
But keeping with the facial hair motif, I’ll say “Some Nights” as an album is like the coolest fu Manchu you’ve ever seen or heard.
The band keeps a full beard, too, with songs homaging greats like Queen.
Here is a full album listening session at Sound Cloud. Check it out then buy the album or the songs you love.
http://soundcloud.com/fueled_by_ramen/sets/fun-some-nights
Here is the official video for fun.’s “We are Young.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv6dMFF_yts&ob=av2e
