Working Men’s Club - Fear Fear
Synthrock – Released July 15, 2022 – 10 songs, 48 mins
ROZ
Rarely does a truly random, unknown album reach the ears of these three writers at Too Sweet Reviews, so this week is definitely a treat. Working Men’s Club (an interesting name for a band that is comprised of two men and two women) is a British synthrock band from Yorkshire England, and that’s as far as this reviewers knowledge goes… well, other than the fact that the record was crafted with Arctic Monkeys collaborator, producer Ross Orton. Working Men - you had my curiosity, but now you have my attention.
To this reviewer's delight, this four-person band knows how to play the hell out of a synthesizer. Fully stamping the “synth” in “synthrock”, Fear Fear digs in and crafts a world full of chaotic digital elements, mixing heavy dance-electronic sounds together with an aura of punk. 19 comes out of the gate with a vengeance; a pulsating low end bassline topped with simple, industrial breakbeat drum machine patterns throwing the listener into a dingy UK rave bar. Droning synth shots, warm pad chords and a never ending series of background foley is enough to incite a fever dream like state, complemented by the deadpan, almost jaded vocals of frontman Sydney Minsky-Sargeant.
This theme is apparent throughout the entirety of the record, forming a cacophony of youthful apathy within a superbly mixed and mastered digital domain. Ross Orton’s skills on the soundboard are undoubtedly the glue that holds the act together, compressing and surgically carving out each song in such a way that even with its nonstop energy, Fear Fear can stay busy without ever feeling fatiguing. Between the air raid sirens, techno drum beats and melodic dissonance, Working Men’s Club takes the listener through an experience that one can only assume would be a marvel in a live setting. The melodic content itself is complex in nature, as can be seen in Widow. These are not 1-2 note basslines or simple melodies - the band members' skills as individual artists are on grand display throughout the entirety of the tracklist.
Kraftwerk meets Depeche Mode. The standout negative throughout Fear Fear is the reluctance to incorporate more natural elements, as can be seen in the guitar solos taking place on Cut or the tasty bass licks on Heart Attack. A little more human emotion and soul would have gone a long way to veer the album away from a strictly “underground rave” aesthetic into something a little more. Dance-evoking with a streak of darkness in its themes; Working Men’s Club’s Fear Fear is a pleasant surprise that highlights the vastness of the music world, and what is left to still discover.
Overall Rating: 8.1/10
Favourite Song: Heart Attack
LUNDI
TSR has successfully brought so much great music to my ears over our short history and the greatest feeling continues to be finding that unknown band who just hit perfectly. In fact digging through the New Music Friday list has become one of my most anticipated tasks of the week. The latest band to pop is British synth rock outfit Working Men’s Club who recently released their second full length album, Fear Fear. Let’s dive in.
Fear Fear is best described as straddling an emotional line with its core fundamentals. On the instrumental composition front the ten tracks are bursting with waves of bright synthesizers and crisp engineered drums while being draped in perfectly cultivated punk guitar riffs and bass lines. It portrays a flourishing feeling of letting loose on the dance floor, free of uncertainty. It’s music you can get lost in and forget for a few minutes the challenges of the outside world we live in. The album is a captivating musical experience that feels like it’s developed with the live show experience in the forefront of bands mind.
On the other hand the subject matter and vocals are darker and illustrate a nearly complete opposite message. Described as “songs created in the shadow of terror and loss” Fear Fear nixes that perceived optimism with harrowed lyrics and robotic like vocals. While sadder content generally results in better music overall, the vocal delivery by lead singer Sydney Minsky Sargent leaves a lot to be desired. It feels as though it was the last element of the album compiled and they ran out of time. Completely lacks emotion and fails to connect.
Despite all the elements pulling in opposite directions producer Ross Orton brings them together with masterful technical precision. Still though the album lacks the differentiating factors that separate tracks and give them their individual personalities. When the album ends it sort of feels like you just experienced a 50 minute subliminal message that leaves you in a trance. After numerous listens it’s clear the overall effort is unique and tasteful but within itself the band struggles to develop the characteristics that help individual tracks stand out. Other than Heart Attack, which has its own lyrical struggles, there just isn’t enough here to make you want to come back to the album over and over, however, there is certainly a time and place that this album absolutely works.
Recognizing excellence in music you don’t love is the biggest struggle in the endeavor that is TSR and Working Men’s Club Fear Fear strikes that chord perfectly. The album is a technical master class in dance music that becomes just too robotic and repetitive for my continued personal enjoyment.
Overall Rating: 7.1/10
Favourite Song: 19
REID
Next up on the list of new TSR bands is a synth-pop quartet from West Yorkshire, England, known as Working Men’s Club. Apple Music describes them as ‘…known for their propulsive, synth-heavy, and abrasively entertaining brand of punky dance-rock.’ and boy, they hit the nail on the head. Sydney Minsky-Sargeant leads the band and its seemingly revolving door of mates on it’s second studio album, Fear Fear.
First thing’s first. To all tuning in for a technical assessment, please kindly refer yourselves to my pal, Justin Rowsell’s assuredly detailed breakdown of horns, knobs and whistles used in the making of the album. The man is illz after all and has an ear for this music I never will.
Coming from someone who rarely listens to this type of album in full, it’s a trip. For 10 songs and 48 minutes, WMC keep you grooving and truly intrigued. The complex variety of sounds is mesmerizing and the 80’s vibes are truly a treat. On the flip side, you’re often met with long stretches of ‘what did I just listen to?’. The first ninety seconds of Fear Fear and the first minute of Rapture and Heart Attack stand out as examples. The bad really amplifies the good and maybe that’s the point but in a word, it’s odd. Many of the songs have great sections but don’t get full marks from start to finish.
Sydney’s vocal style is interesting, to say the least. His low, monotoned voice isn’t blowing anyone away but it meshes well with the everchanging sounds. While music is always the sum of its parts, how many fans throw on Working Men’s Club for a deep dive into the lyrics? Maybe the die-hards but that’s about it.
The overwhelming and obvious feeling is the energy of these songs are meant for a live setting. Whether it’s a rave or downstairs in a dingy night club after hours, WMC’s music isn’t truly appreciated in an office or airplane.
Before wrapping this up, here’s a random thought – this album reminds me of Nintendo man! It may be silly but I felt like I just picked up a 10-game emulator and played 5 minutes each. The positive? Nintendo music is the bomb.
Fear Fear by Working Men’s Club gets a nod of approval for its creativity and technical production but a question mark on its consistency. Maybe a live performance is in the cards one day where this style shines but until then, it’ll fade into obscurity.
Overall Rating: 6.7/10
Favourite Song: Cut