On their second full-length, British indie pop trio
Fear of Men continue to experiment with sonic textures while delivering stark, confessional lyrics. Musically, the album is far subtler than their astonishing 2014 debut full-length
Loom or the group's initial material collected on the 2013 release
Early Fragments. Instead of featuring jangly guitars laced with noisy feedback, occasionally building up to intense, cathartic climaxes,
Fall Forever is graced by atmospheric, drifting guitars and thin layers of cold synths. The album is much more spacious than the previous one, with delicate voices floating over the stiff drumbeats. As with the group's prior recordings, Jessica Weiss' biting lyrics grab hold of you, and they're just as brutal as ever on this album. While she never raises her voice above a calm, conversational tone, her sharp, accusatory words are like arrows that shoot deep inside. What's impressive is how harsh thoughts like "you tell me impossible things that shake me to my core" and "you'll never be the one that breaks me inside" are delivered coolly and with pleasant melodies. The album's most straightforward, catchy song begins by bluntly stating "You give me trauma" -- yikes! As with the previous album,
Fall Forever ends with a breakup song. "Onsra" begins with cold, shuddering drumbeats and swelling strings, breaking down for a mournful, drumless second half with Weiss lamenting "I don't need you, but I want you so much." With
Fall Forever,
Fear of Men branch out and explore different sounds and techniques, while their lyrics are still striking. ~ Paul Simpson