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CRITIC REVIEWS
100
Musical and lyrical contradictions are all over ‘Almost Free’, but it gains its power from dancing through the hard times with a massive grin on your face.
80
'Almost Free' is a mixed bag, but when FIDLAR are good, they are still very good indeed.
80
Stuffed with fizzing hooks and brilliantly frank lyrics, ‘Almost Free’ could be FIDLAR’s best record yet. A blistering collection of eclectic tunes threaded together by punks’ fearless riffs and unguarded admissions, which add even more weight to their sound, it’s a reminder of how much we’ve missed them.
75
While we didn’t get the batch of guitar-fueled thrashers that their past two records provided, Almost Free contains an experimental element that’s exciting to see FIDLAR lean into.
75
Almost Free is a FIDLAR album - brash, unhinged, wild, a tad nonsensical, but most of all, a testament to their nature.
71
While FIDLAR benefit from cleaned-up production, the hit-or-miss, albeit courageous, tracklist is indicative of a band that’s still workshopping their sound.
70
Exploring a kind of open-ended, stylistic pastiche-pop-rock informed by more eagle-eyed, worldly songwriting, FIDLAR have expanded their sonic palette on a record that seems destined to be appreciated more with time.
65
FIDLAR may have tagged their third LP as ‘Almost Free’ but based on the hit and miss sonics and lyrics, I’d say ‘Not Quite There’ would be more apt.
65
FIDLAR trade in some of the gaudiest radio sounds of the last three decades, but they present them with the enthusiasm of a puppy that’s dug a greasy hambone out of the trash, too gleeful to admonish. Almost Free may be obnoxious, but it’s never cynical.
50
It’s not clear what Fidlar are trying to achieve here, and I’m confused.
50
To their credit, FIDLAR have made legitimate attempts to get out of their creative comfort zone and go somewhere new. That said, Almost Free is somewhat of a mess.
50
More power to FIDLAR if they’d rather go the Top 40 route here, but sounding like “Howlin’ for You”-era Black Keys or Cage the Elephant feels regressive for a once-fresh band.
42
Sure this isn’t terrible but it is bloody frustrating at times. They spend half the album talking about getting high, and half the time talking about politics, and make both sound incredibly unappetising.
30
This bland, wishy-washy concoction of pop-rock FIDLAR half-assedly barfs up reflects the quartet of 30-something's own addictive tendencies; each watered-down attempt at a "genre-revival"-punk, in this case—falls victim to insipid rip-offs of their "punk" influences.
10
Creatively, ‘Almost Free’ is basically an algorithmic word generator of one night stands and substance abuse.
FIDLAR's inclusion of arena rock and dance punk aren't exactly best suited for Zac Carper's vocals. The album's production is also very rough and seems like it was mixed in 20 minutes.
Strong Linkin Park vibes, but not in a good way. The album kicks off with Get Off My Rock which is The Lowest Point of the entire LP. Additionally, the single By Myself is catchy at first, but it's dancey quality makes it feel too much like an anthem for man-children and less like a self-reflective cry for help. The title track, Almost Free, a classic rock inspired instrumental with a slick guitar riff and some added flair from the horn section, is the only one worth writing home about.
Not too solid. Only enjoyable tracks for me were "By Myself" and "Alcohol". Everything else is too much of a transition out of their old sound into something that isn't bearable.
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Year End Lists
| #9 | / | Kerrang! |
Track List
- Get Off My Rock
- Can’t You See
- By Myself
- Flake
- Alcohol
- Almost Free
- Scam Likely
- Called You Twice (feat. K.Flay)
- Nuke
- Too Real
- Kick
- Thought. Mouth.
- Good Times Are Over
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Added on: October 12, 2018