PUPSCLUSIVE REVIEW: FUN. “SOME NIGHTS”

Some Nights - fun.
Record Label: Fueled by Ramen
Release Date: February 22, 2012
Reviewed by: Jared Ohgren 

It’s no doubt that fun. isn’t that back pocket band that you kept a secret anymore. The band has done what many bands try so hard to do: be in the right place at the right time. It’s kind of funny how fans of the band had no idea that the band that released the fantastic debut, Aim and Ignite, would be topping singles charts three years into the future. Alas, the band has done exactly that.

Some Nights is the long awaited follow up to the said debut from 2009. This time around, the band sort of ditched the all-real-instrument approach to pop music and decided to add more electronic aspects to their songs, which in no way is a bad thing. In fact, the band bridges the gap between organic and electronic perfectly relying still on the piano and acoustic guitar backbone and have added vocoders and use of autotune, which some fans may disagree with, but honestly, it’s pretty apparent that vocalist Nate Ruess has a killer set of pipes and doesn’t need the help, but instead chose to use it in an artsy way. 

The record has its highs and it has its lows (that aren’t even really lows). The title track is a stand out track, bringing back the multiple part harmony that is reminiscent of “All the Pretty Girls” and opening the album perfectly along with the aptly titled, “Some Nights Intro,” and the Glee-famous single, “We Are Young.” Other songs like “It Gets Better,” which besides Ruess’ voice, sounds almost nothing like the band’s other songs, or even the other songs on Some Nights. However, it isn’t too much of a bother because the song definitely grows on you along with the second to last track, “One Foot,” which is a catchier song and probably an all round better song than “It Gets Better.” 

It’s awesome to see a band that I personally have liked for a while break through the scene and emerge into the mainstream while keeping their integrity in the process. In no way has fun. sold out like I’m sure some people are going to say. The band created a damn good record, if not one of the best records that’s going to be released this year.

Verdict: 4.5/5

Tracklisting:
1. Some Nights (Intro)
2. Some Nights
3. We Are Young ft. Janelle Monae
4. Carry On
5. It Gets Better
6. Why Am I the One
7. All Alone
8. All Alright
9. One Foot
10. Stars

fun. is:
Nate Ruess - Vocals
Jack Antonoff - Guitars, Trumpet
Andrew Dost - Bass, Piano, Guitar, Keyboards

Go pick up the album on iTunes.

»Feb. 22 @ 6:36PM | 55 notes