The Front Bottoms – Back on Top
Written By: Ellery Lawry
Rating: 8.5/10
As a longtime fan of The Front Bottoms, I was as concerned as most of their fans about the transition onto Fueled by Ramen. Moving on to a big record label doesn’t usually end well for bands. Thankfully, The Front Bottoms made the jump and came out for the better. Back on Top delivers all the standards of the band: the slight melancholy, the feel good jams, the group vocals and catchy choruses. This album gives us The Front Bottoms we know and love without it feeling stale and boring. The group has stayed true to their roots while still growing, both musically and lyrically.
The inclusion of The Plan (Fuck Jobs) is also one that is exciting for longtime fans. The group has always played bits of this song live but has never put out a polished version of the song. The inclusion of it on this album is exciting and is a nice throwback to their early days. Most of the album stays true to form with their acoustic sound, but the areas where they’ve broken away work. The use of electric guitars throughout gives The Front Bottoms a rockier edge. The inclusion of a guitar solo on Summer Shandy really solidifies that song as a true radio-worthy jam, despite the somewhat repetitive and cringe-worthy chorus.
Back on Top incorporates a lot of new elements into the band’s sound. On previous albums, brass instruments and synths had been used but to a lesser degree than on the new album. Being with Fueled by Ramen expanded the options for the guys and allowed them to experiment more widely. Brass instruments are used more frequently throughout as well as higher production synths that are more interesting and complex. The Front Bottoms have also taken a spin on their gang vocal usage by incorporating a full choir into the album. Back on Top starts with a choral group harmonizing. They are used again throughout the album. Another interesting feature on the album is the feature on the end of Historic Cemetery. A fellow New Jersian joins them, rapper GDP. It’s an element never used before by the band but one that works really well.
All of the new, creative elements have worked in favor of the band. The jump to Fueled by Ramen has allowed them to stretch their creative wings and work in new, interesting sounds and ideas while staying true to their roots. With the exception of some cheesy lyrics, this is truly a strong album that shows the range of musical abilities the band has. It fits in well with their existing discography and gives hope to what else they may do in the future.
