Chris Farren – Can’t Die

Chris Farren has been described as DIY renaissance man, he is a prolific songwriter from Florida, as well as his solo material he is the frontman for the indie punk band Fake Problems, and he is half of the power pop duo Antarctigo Vespucci. For the past decade he has fronted Fake Problems, but over the past few years he’s cultivated another outlet for his creativity through his solo work, ceaseless touring and even an accidental viral success with a T-shirt design. We’ve established he has a hefty pedigree behind him, and that he probably has little free time, but what has he brought us on Can’t Die?

Can’t Die opens with the title track, which features gentle acoustic guitar and harmony vocals which build into a thoughtful and heartfelt refrain, this brief number serves as a perfect introduction to the album before things shift up a gear. Human Being is a gorgeous upbeat power pop number, that is one of the highlights of this release, featuring enthusiastic backing vocals and some sparkling lead guitar work. Brighter softens the pace, this is a song dedicated to how someone can improve your life when they are in your life, you could argue that this song is a metaphor for this album as Can’t Die has put a big smile on my face. To Insecurity And Beyond provides a brief interlude with quirky keyboards before we return to another perfectly pitched power pop number in Say U Want Me, this switches between an upbeat chorus with a infectious guitar riff that is delivered with a perfect indie flourish. Can’t Die continues to balance it’s influences and styles across it’s eleven tracks, from indie pop, through power pop and even the odd soulful and haunting number, to deliver an uplifting and near perfect slice of indie power pop that is irresistible.

This is a gorgeous uplifting album that can’t help but put a smile on your face, the mix of indie and power pop is perfectly balanced, and the production and mix on the album mirrors this. This is a heartfelt and varied album that manages to encompass the enthusiasm of power pop and indie with effortless grace. It’s an album that defies your expectations, if you are unfamiliar with Chris Farren‘s solo work then this is something you need to redress, and Can’t Die would be a damn fine place to start, as this is a record that makes the world a slightly better place when you put it on.

Can’t Die can be pre-ordered from Side One Dummy Records here