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Jan 22, 2019 Web Exclusive By Timothy Michalik

Almost Free finds FIDLAR, the SoCal corporate-punks that at one point made endearing and charming pop-punk, ripping off Beastie Boys’ worst tendencies and creative scapegoats. The opening track, “Get Off My Rock,” and every single song on Almost Free, for that matter, reflects this crunchy, ferocious approach to rap-rock—and they attempt to get political in the process. But why on earth would we want to hear a band that has made its name for itself singing—and more often than not screaming—about shooting up smack and getting blacked-out with “the homies” talk politics? Every move FIDLAR has made following their full-length debut, FIDLAR, sounds calculated, as if it was drafted up in a dingy, strip mall marketing office by a pair of washed-out hacks who no longer understand what is relevant. This bland, wishy-washy concoction of pop-rock FIDLAR half-assedly barfs up reflects the quartet of 30-something’s own addictive tendencies; each watered-down attempt at a “genre-revival”-punk, in this case—falls victim to insipid rip-offs of their “punk” influences. (www.fidlarmusic.com)

Author rating: 3/10