The Fatty Acids

Milwaukee's the Fatty Acids gear up to release a sweet debut full-length, Stop Berries, Berries and Berries, Berries…

…the quartet's raw pop sound has been echoing in the basements of Milwaukee, but won't be relegated to the underground much longer.

The Fatty Acids' summery sounds are at once carefree and raw; vocal harmonies soar above reverbed guitars and youthfully energetic keyboards, but where similarly-minded bands such as MGMT strive to be smooth and sparkly, the Fatty Acids like to rough it up a bit. In a recent interview with the UWM Post, keyboardist/vocalist Josh Evert mentions, "I noticed a lot of my favorite music has a rough quality to it. A lot of young, up and coming groups make the mistake of rushing through studio time and they spend a lot of money in the process. By recording the album ourselves we can take our time and really capture a raw sound."

The band not only recorded their own music, they are releasing it on their own Kribber Krown Records. They've steadily gained a strong local following through their lively performances and fun attitude, putting emphasis on the upbeat and smartening their songs with thoughtful lyrics. Stop Berries, Berries and Berries, Berries promises to be one of the best and brightest releases in Milwaukee pop this year.



www.myspace.com/thefattyacidsmusic



Friday, June 18th

The Cactus Club
(2496 S. Wentworth, Milwaukee, WI, 53207)

21+ - The Isthmus Madison

As the unwieldy title suggests, the debut album from Milwaukee’s The Fatty Acids, Stop Berries, Berries, And Berries, isn’t short on ideas or over-caffeinated energy. The standout track “Howl” utilizes a fuzzy, driving bassline, frantic percussion, and airy vocal harmonies to convey an overwhelmingly youthful intensity that distinguishes the best aspects of the album. Elsewhere, the Fatty Acids get a little less straightforward: While “Howl” buzzes in and out in less than three minutes, the sprawling, immersive two-part opener “Cosmos” covers the gamut of electronic bleeps and bloops, grandiose horn parts, and sudden, occasionally thunderous rhythmic shifts.
It sounds like a mess, but The Fatty Acids somehow pull it all together to winning effect most of the time. “Astrovan” has foot stomps, handclaps, and disco-punk drumming, but all the pounding ends up working together in service of a highly danceable groove. Sometimes the lyrics get lost in the mix, though some choice lines manage to poke out amid the sonic stew, like the inspiring “In the afterlife we’ll howl, not drift around up in the clouds” on “Howl.” Ultimately, the rush of sonic exploration far outpaces what can be articulated on Stop Berries, Berries, And Berries, and the sense of wide-eyed adventurousness is infectious.
Stop Berries, Berries, And Berries is available for free at the band’s website. The Fatty Acids perform Aug. 20 at Club Garibaldi. - The A.V. Club Milwaukee