This is apparently the fourth LP from FVRMN, previously known as “Fever Moon” and presumably pronounced as such. It’s not exactly a solo project, as there is a full band on Back To The Whip, but it’s definitely the brainchild of Jay Holmes (formerly of The Ladderback and also a recognized visual artist who has done design work for the likes of Black Sabbath, Windhand, Big Business, and more). To keep the namedrops coming, Mike Watt, Chris Broach (Braid), and Christian Madden (The Liam Gallagher Band) are among the guest musicians.
That’s a lengthy detour from talking about Holmes though, who wrote the record while fighting COVID, and arguably taking the band’s moniker a little too literally. The results of this are a tale of fighting, struggle, and a few curveball and dream-like mood changes over nine tracks. First, I’ll broadly summarize that this record draws big influence from the late ‘90s pop-structured gruff punk such as Leatherface. It’s mid-tempo with rough vocals and a lot of guitar. It’s more about a mood than an anthem, and the songs are often close to the 4-minute mark. It’s somewhat expansive by punk standards. Tonally the record feels downtrodden: pushing itself to get back up and keep the fight going. It’s mostly melodic guitar but sometimes switches to choppier, rhythmic tones in contrast. “Into The Earth,” mid-record, is essentially a dark waltz with lyrics about demons pulling Holmes into the earth.
While that certainly paints a picture, it’s not all so dense. There are more melodic songs like “Diamonds,” or “Esoteric Lover” or, despite the downer title, “Grim Finalé.” But it gets a little more uplifting, sonically, on “Raleigh” and other songs in the second or third person point-of-view. The first person songs deliver the emotional lows. I like the switch, as it also conveys some deeper perceptions about how people interact. “Forkburn on the Tongue,” with its raspy vocals and acoustic flourishes, reminds me of Brendan Kelly and the Wandering Birds a little bit.
Sometimes the metaphors feel a little overdone or off, distracting from the musical flow. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s on purpose. Referencing the waltzy “Into The Earth” again, the lyrics are harsh and blunt, grabbing your attention and going against the melodic flow, sort of like a disjointed fever state.
A knock might be that the record loses a little momentum from start to finish. To be honest, I feel the same way about many Leatherface records too, so maybe it’s just how I feel about this style. I dig it, but in a very precise dose. But that’s also nitpicking, because playing Back To The Whip on a loop in recent days has me picking up and appreciating a lot of nuances.
