Fucked Up - Couple Tracks: Singles 2002-2009

  by Russell Ferguson

published: 6 / 3 / 2010

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Review

Ever since I first heard Fucked Up's song ‘Triumph Of Life’ in 2006 I have been hooked. Here was a punk/hardcore/experimental band that managed to make tunes that you could get into. They were loud, aggressive and to the point, but best of all they still had tunes and harmonies that you could pick out. Somehow their music didn’t drown in itself and end up as a kaleidoscope of confusion or simply like a noise as so many post punk bands of the late 70’s did (such us as Chelsea, GBH, Angelic Upstarts to name but a few). Fucked Up thought about what they were doing and were forever trying new ideas some of which worked and some of which didn’t, but it has to be said they are an exciting band that have forever pushed the conception of what hardcore punk was about. So many hardcore bands seem to subscribe to the theory that if you shout loud enough it not only makes sense to the disaffected but sounds good too. In reality hardcore will only appeal to a small group of people who know what they want to hear. By adding some new elements and ideas to a genre of music it can become new, exciting and new, fresh and interestin. It becomes experimental and redefines the music term and the boundaries it is associated with such as Fucked Up have done. Fucked Up formed in Toronto and played their first gigs in early 2001. They spent most of their early career releasing singles and 12 inches records and this collection among other things puts together many of their early and limited edition records together for the first time. Being a hardcore band they haven’t called it a best. That is too average and so they have called it ‘Couple Tracks’ instead. Being a 2 CD offering with 25 songs in total it should gain them some new fans. Being a best of it should also grab its listener's attention and it certainly does that. For me the highlights on this record inlcude ‘David Comes To Life’ which has a strange underwater type of vocals and a 60’s tinge and ‘Mustaa Lunta’ just because it is a typical song for Fucked Up if there is such a thing and is fast, urgent and uncompromising. Another song to watch out for include ‘Anorak City’, which is a cover song which was originally performed Another Sunny Day and is featured on the legendary C-86 indie compilation, but this version is a million times better. There is also ‘Generations’ which is a slower record that has lots of depth and‘ Triumph Of Life’ which is a six minute epic power driven song. I can not convey strongly enough that this has got to be one of the best punk records that has ever been put together. While not all their material is to my liking and there are times when they are too far out there for me, this compilation will tell you why they are critically acclaimed by so many of the most respect music press. Fucked Up have always done what they saw as the right thing or the best course of action for them. Their gigs like their records are chaotic, confrontational and destructive, all the qualities that is essential to rock ‘n’ roll and punk, but best of all they do it with style and flair.

Track Listing:-

1 No Pasaran
2 Neat Parts
3 Generation
4 Ban Violins
5 Dangerous Fumes
6 Triumph Of Life
7 Fixed Race
8 Toronto FC
9 Black Hats
10 David Christmas
11 No Epiphany (Fast Version)
12 Crooked Head (Edit)
13 I Hate Summer
14 Teenage Problems
15 Carried Out To Sea (Demo Version)
16 Looking Back
17 Anorak City
18 I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You
19 Mustaa Lunta
20 Dream Come True
21 Magic Kingdom
22 Magic Word (Daytrotter Version)
23 Last Man Standing
24 He's So Frisky
25 David Comes To Life (Daytrotter Version)

Label Links:-

http://www.matadorrecords.com/
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https://www.facebook.com/MatadorRecord
http://matadorrecords.tumblr.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/matadorre
https://www.instagram.com/matadorrecor