In a time where pretentious art-rock bands are hailed like the second-coming of Jesus, it’s always nice to hear a band that sheds the notions of what’s cool and simply rocks. With their debut EP Thought You Should Know, Chicago’s Farkus delivers a sound that appears to draw on a diverse set of rock influences that will appeal to a wide variety of listeners.
At certain points, Farkus uses the pop-punk sound that Chicago regularly breeds. “Salt” has the repetitive, but enormously catchy guitar hooks that are familiar to bands of the genre. The result is a driving rock song that’s universally appealing to rock fans.
However, it would be a mistake to pigeon-hole Farkus as a pop-punk band. “Salt” may have a chorus that gleams with all the markings of the genre, but the song has some clever soloing that adds another level of interest.
Compared to the pop-hooks of “Salt,” other songs on Thought You Should Know sound downright dirty, similar to 90’s grunge. “Chance” and “New Love And Prescriptions” use guitar riffs that may remind you of the likes of Pearl Jam or Alice In Chains. While these tracks sound dark and dirty at times, singer Tony Maguire’s melodic and unique vocals that arrive later in the songs expand the appeal to more than just grunge fans. “New Love And Prescriptions” also has a strong guitar solo that’s classic rock and roll.
Later, Farkus delivers a shockingly delicate acoustic track with “Windsor Noose.” Maguire’s voice shines again on the song, complimented by a well-composed guitar melody. If you’re a frequent listener of singer-songwriters, you’ll find the song addictive.
Farkus isn’t afraid to show a diverse sound on Thought You Should Know. While Farkus mixes styles freely, they do a good job of keeping enough of a pop-feel to please any rock fan. The EP successfully proves a band can make a highly creative recording, without having to scare away the average listener.
February 2, 2009
