After listening to One Finger Riot’s Come Drag Me Down, I found myself to be very confused. Although highly experimental, it seems like the band was trying a little too hard to be unique. The album’s various elements frankly just don’t work together. They create little consistency and sloppy transitions. Furthermore, although singer Faris McReynolds has a wholesome voice, it would be better suited for a different type of music.
Come Drag Me Down attempts to create a blend of funk, electronic, and reggae. The result is a sloppily arranged album with an unsettling vibe. This is clear from the very start. For instance, the first track, “Dressed Up,” is full of psychedelic beats and techno noises. However, with an ever-changing melody and lyrics that make little sense, it seems overwhelming and incomplete.
The rest of the songs all appear to be vastly different from the first, although they do have one thing in common; their inability to combine their eclectic elements into something pleasant sounding. “It Never Comes” is extremely repetitive, with layered vocals that give the creepy illusion that more than one person is singing. With a traditional pop beat, at first it seems promising. However, it then suddenly bursts into sporadic piano noises that are both distracting and unnecessary, before ending with sharp, out of place guitar chords.
“Fever” is another prime example of this. In a four minute song, you can hear reggae sounds, chiming, buzzing, clapping, and various other distorted noises. It is manic, loud and fiery, intentionally matching its name. Although clever, its headache-inducing tune was not exactly appealing.
Overall, I felt as if One Finger Riot attempted to combine too many musical aspects. This created an unsatisfying, strangely assembled album.
