Fuss Ricket

From Austin Texas, and active since 2015, Fuss Ricket is a three piece fringe pop act focusing on industrial funk beats, pop-punk hooks and vocals, and captivating stage performance. The word that I think sums up the EP, “What’s All the Fuss About?” most accurately is: compelling. After listening to the recording a few times over, I have come to appreciate the achievement of this band and this EP in a way that I appreciate the work of very few new bands; the members of Fuss Ricket manage to absorb and, digest and re-produce many varied musical precedents into a strangely fresh form.

Their obviously varied pool of influences and a mix of analog and digital musical techniques with an unrelenting, rhythmic energy is completely effective in establishing a foundation upon which Fuss Ricket has succeeded in crafting an alarmingly listenable and compelling recording.

This has nothing but good vibes from start to finish and is exactly what you need to survive the dreaded ‘back to work’ routine that marks the end of your week-end. From the minute the first song, “Well On Time” opens, you are drawn into the energetic, dance-around-your-room-when-no-one’s-looking kind of track, giving the EP an explosive start and setting it out in the right direction.

This is the song that everyone needs to remind them to chill out and enjoy life, and with a drum beat that would make the grumpiest of people want to move it’ll be awesome performed live too, for sure. “Drop Dead” continues this energy and is probably the most fun track on this concise collection, whether you can relate to its risqué lyrics or not. And while it’s a fun listen, Fuss Ricket dig deep lyrically, fleshing out the many intricacies of the human psyche.

Even if for some obscure reason you don’t like the song, can you take a minute to appreciate the beauty that is in that unique vocal phrasing? That note makes this song that much better, don’t you think!

Anyone who is able or willing to not sing along to “Themin” should just stop reading now and go play it on repeat until you know how to unwind and free your persona from all its constraints. The urgent positivity injected into this song is simply infectious.

Music fans will find many shining moments throughout this EP, as it soars with virulent rhythms, rocking sing-along choruses’ ideal for the lead singer’s charismatic voice, and its major pop-punk tunes, simply begging for club play.

From the very first track, there is a certain sense of the band being drawn towards ‘theatrical and larger than life performances’. Something they pull off naturally and with total ease you’ll notice, when you eventually look up their exuberant video clips.

While there’s always room for improvement, it’s hard to determine what Fuss Ricket’s next step will be after this EP. However, they have a way of incorporating new ideas that revolutionize each of their songs, and that’s why this band will probably stay relevant, no matter what they do next! - Jamsphere

With each new release, Fuss Ricket has managed to progress their sound in interesting directions, and I’ve found myself enchanted by all of them. This three piece fringe pop act focusing on industrial funk and pop-punk, have a fairly clear pattern. They have knockout hooks and off-the-rails beats, accented brilliantly with keyboard riffs, and wild percussive sounds, just to name a few. But more to the point, it seems like with every song, the lead singer is determined to stretch himself vocally.
Fuss Ricket has just released its sneaky little video single for the track “Well On Time”, taken from their EP “What’s All the Fuss About?” And just like every other track on the EP, this will haunt you until you fall asleep. I always thought that Fuss Ricket has this uncanny quality of sounding both retro and futuristic at the same time. Now they’ve taken that almost intangible and fleeting formula and migrated it into their visuals.

The music video for “Well on Time” was inspired by music clips from the early 2000s that utilized a blend of live action superimposed into a 3D environment with animated 2D elements. The producers and crew incorporated the stage design of the band’s look and style with Tyler’s custom made jewelry line Via Christa and post-apocalyptic imagery.

The setting of the video is an extraterrestrial-ancient world akin to the Mayan civilization. See, there goes that retro-futuristic thing again, and think it is one of the most endearing aspects of Fuss Ricket’s sound and image – Apart of course, from those mesmerizing vocals, melodies and rhythms.

Director Ben Snyder describes the plot as: “Where the main character is chasing his desire, the girl in the jungle, who ultimately tempts him to a goddess-queen to meet his fate.” The video stars Bri Isis, Tyler Reed Cochran, Jeena Dee, Luna Sophia and Blake Pankonien. It was filmed by Jessie Rodriguez, while production was taken care of by Sarah Echo Colon.
This band is poised to be one of my favorites of the year. I absolutely love everything Fuss Ricket does. Personally, I think reviews on their music are stupid because people can’t actually describe their music well enough for you to know whether or not you’re going to like it.

So go listen to a couple songs on Spotify or watch them on YouTube, and then make your decision. The only truly useful information I can give you is that nothing quite sounds like this band right now. To come close you may have to take doses of The Talking Heads, The B52s, Panic At The Disco! and Empire of the Sun, and then put it through a blender a couple of times. One time out of ten, you may hit on the right magical mix.

It’s great to hear a band that has a promising future. Fuss Ricket is one of those rarities in an age of forgettable one-hit iron ducks. Gorgeous. Fascinating. Fun. I have relished in the clear tune pulsating throughout “Well On Time”. - Tuned Loud

Fuss Ricket released a new music video which was aired first time Saturday, Nov. 26 at The Blackheart.

The band includes Tyler Cochran on lead instrumentals and vocals, Blake Pankonien on Bass and Austin Hegarty taking on drums and a production role. According to director Ben Snyder, the video was inspired by music videos from the early 2000s that “utilize a blend live action superimposed into a 3D environment with animated 2D elements.” The outcome rocks– the atmospherics undoubtedly adds to the experimental pop sound of Fuss Ricket. The music video is a visual re-imagining of the song– it’s ambitious while still remaining sincere. The way that this music video is able to incorporate virtual-reality to tell a unique love story reminds me of certain parts of short film TV on the Radio released, Nine Types of Light, back in 2011.

Snyder describes the plot as, “where the main character is chasing his desire, the girl in the jungle, who ultimately tempts him to a goddess-queen to meet his fate.”

You’ll also notice towards the end of the video where the woman, dressed as a goddess, raises her hands that are filled with necklaces, before she jumps from the cliff. This is not random. Snyder wanted to incorporated the stage design of the band’s look and style with Cochran’s custom made jewelry line Via Christa, which was awarded critics pick “Best Jewelry for City Witches” by the Austin Chronicle 2016. The video was filmed locally here in Austin and produced by frontman Tyler Cochran. - On Vinyl

YabYum
Posted on December 11, 2016
Categories Music Videos
Tags Amber Quintero, Astronauts of Antiquity, Cadence Kid, Fingers and Cream, Fuss Ricket, Goth Brooks, Louise McVey & Cracks in the Concrete, music video, Music Videos, new music, Stove, strange - YabYum