While lots of 2010s groups bring back the sounds of the '90s,
FF's debut album
Lord actually sounds like a lost relic from that era. Where many of their shoegaze-reviving contemporaries update their approach with nods to electro-pop, the Seattle trio goes in the opposite direction. Instead of referencing
My Bloody Valentine's
Loveless -- the holy grail of nu-gaze --
FF evoke its murkier, messier predecessor
Isn't Anything on tracks like "Dead Head," which brings shoegaze's punk roots to the fore. Throughout
Lord,
FF flash back to the grittier side of early shoegaze and '90s indie rock, recalling the work of luminaries like
Sonic Youth and
Dinosaur Jr. as well as cult favorites like
the Swirlies,
Eric's Trip, and
Yatsura. Like all of those bands,
FF use a wide palette of guitar sounds, incorporating brisk strumming, stinging leads, and lots and lots of crunch into an equally heavy and ethereal sound; "Caught in a Dream" borders on thrash and gets a lot of its dream pop blur through sheer volume. Though they're considerably poppier than their compatriots
Nu Sensae and
Naomi Punk,
FF share a similar sense of unsettled Pacific Northwestern gloom, particularly on the churning "Dusted," where the choruses take a longer time to reveal themselves than elsewhere on
Lord. Though
FF sometimes seem in danger of letting this gloom overwhelm their songs, the album becomes more accessible and accomplished as it unfolds.
Claire Nelson's hazy vocals are a perfect fit on "In a Day," while "Past Year" could be from a slightly rough-around-the-edges
Yo La Tengo and "Come to Pass" is a hypnotic balance of swaying pop and buzzsaw guitars. A promising, enjoyable debut,
Lord proves there's always room for revivalists when they sound as good as
FF does.