After releasing two EPs, Texas rockers Murder FM, having signed an official record deal, finally get the chance to really show themselves off with this first full-length
album, Happily Neverafter.
Opening with “Legion,” a first-thumping, bass-heavy number which is sure to go down a storm at live shows, the track makes ignoring this lot virtually impossible.
“We The Evil” follows on and, having been released back in 2013, this slightly re-worked version adds some extra reverb. It’s not a big change, but it’s certainly noticeable.
Giving listeners a chance to get their breath back is, rather ironically, “Last Breath.” The song has a surprisingly melodic chorus and, despite the tempo being slowed a little, it still offers plenty of rhythm to which fans can move their heads and enjoy the track for what it is–a pretty good tune.
Unsurprisingly, the band then return to their more heavy material via “Machine Gun Kisses.” The pace is frenetic, the tight and loud musicianship sounding off at full volume, so it’s a nice surprise to then find a cover version tailing it. The one the band have opted for here is “Burn” by The Cure. Although they don’t change much in terms of the tempo, they do add their own spin on the track via the way in which they deliver it. It’s not a bad rendition at all, although it is highly likely that some fans of Robert Smith may still prefer the original – in this industry, it’s practically a rule that you can’t please everyone anyway.
“Slaves” is possibly the one track fans might choose to overlook, especially as “Lethal Lovers” and “Like Glass” follow it up so well. The album’s title track, “Happily Neverafter,” slows things down a little again, which is rather surprising to hear, but it is “Rainy Day Parade,” the closest thing to a ballad the band have ever done, which proves that the group really are versatile and that rock bands can do slower-tempo, more melodic songs just as well as their pop-indie counterparts.
The Tommy Lee remix of “We The Evil” is a nice addition to close out the collection, bringing with it a strong techno feel which would work well when blasted from speakers in clubs.
The album as a whole isn’t for everyone (then again, very few albums ever are), but as a well-produced and strong first album for a band who have long-since spoken about their desire to take over the music world, on the back of it, they might yet fulfil that desire sooner than they think.
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