Year in Rock 2012 Nominee: Fang Island

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FANG ISLAND
Asunder
From: Major
Released: July 24

Like Andrew WK cheerleading a party at a library, Fang Island's Major bursts from the speakers with crackling bliss and life-affirming riffage without falling into self-parody or repetitive bro-rock singalongs. It's the kind of racket that's usually reserved for pessimistic, vitriolic and/or depressing diatribes, but it instead juxtaposes this cacophony with hope and fun. I've used the phrase to describe other records in the past, but Fang Island are the band that has indubitably earned the description “joyful noise”.

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