SOUND BITES

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”.

Stream Fang Island's sophomore gem Major in its entirety here courtesy of NPR. When I have a day off from my retail job, sometimes I like to plug away at my other job writing content for websites (not this one; this is the hobby aside from my job and my side job, or my side job hobby). Naturally, I need background music to keep the creative juices flowing, and every once in a while I'll throw caution to the wind and give something I've never heard of a spin. Because of this haphazard, careless approach to streaming music, I give you Fang Island, whose second album Major is out in just over a week. There's something distinctly different about Fang Island's wall of noise; it's a truly joyous noise, celebratory without being pompous.  It's like Andrew W.K. with more interesting subject matter and an unhealthy obsession with Slade and Supertramp. I'm going to stop trying to explain this and just say that it's extremely rare to come across mus...