SHUT UP AND FAINT THE HITS: The Faint's CAPSULE: 1998-2016
So I wrote this elaborately detailed article on my computer regarding how when questioned about my "favorite band" and it somehow was erased because of a glitch. This however became a blessing in disguise, because the act of losing it is relevant to my original argument. Anyways, here's my hopeful attempt at the re-write:
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Since music is such a major aspect to my life, I am occasionally asked "what is your favorite band?" "The Faint" is usually the first response, if not a close second pending current mood. A few days ago I found myself back at home in Atlanta over the weekend and visited my two favorite record stores: Wax N Facts and Criminal Records. Ever since I moved to Virginia, I love coming back and having the aspect of coming back home but also feeling like a stranger in the city. Anyways, while flipping through releases at Wax N' Facts (where I used to spot Bradford Cox of Deerhunter/Atlas Sound every once in a while) I came across a CD copy of The Faint's latest release: a compilation of songs off their previous six studio albums with the addition of three new tracks. While I played this album repeatedly on Spotify back when it was released last fall, something deep inside of me picked the album up instantly and I felt as though I needed this copy. For it was not until later after the painful, yet meditative twelve hour drive back to Virginia that I thought more and more about this band, one I hold not just in high regards critically but on a personal level as well.
I own all their albums in various mediums, but what fascinated me was how acquiring CAPSULE: 1998-2016 was a return to the beginning not just in the songs themselves but in form as well. Today many claim CDs are obsolete and while their argument holds certain valid and sound points, I still listen to CDs in my car and love physically creating mixed CDs for close friends. However, pushing the disc in my car stereo and driving home while listening to their songs took me back mentally to driving around the woodsy-suburbs of McDonough nearly fifteen years ago while pumping BLANK-WAVE ARCADE and thinking about how different both the band and myself were back then and then proud of the growth we've both made.
All of their albums are so unique for different reasons and each one has a different feel, vibe, intent and objective. Not only did they evolve but opened themselves to the evolution of process and progress. They did not rush their artistry nor give it too much time and always stayed a step ahead of their listeners--refusing to merely give them what was expected (something I very much admire unlike countless bands existing to satisfy and then collect). The Faint exists because they are a band and want to be one.
Their sound melodically hooks, moves both the mind and body, makes statements without preaching, distorts pre-digested narrative/form but not allowing it to bring attention to itself or seem pretentious, blends with the accurate balance without overshadowing, predicts the future while keeping both feet in the present and is one of the greatest examples of post-modern yet refuses to box itself within a genre, and/or whenever anyone else attempts to genretize, they go against the grain/trend/expectation to practically refute said claim. It is essentially a collage of aesthetics: punk rock, jazz, Krautrock, Dadaism, Walter Benjamin, Aldous Huxley and dancing...lots of dancing!
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