JUNE 21, 2022
WRITTEN BY ERIC FOREMAN
WRITTEN BY ERIC FOREMAN
FAKE BODIES RELEASE THEIR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ALBUM "STOP SHAKING"
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Virginia trio Fake Bodies have released their new album entitled Stop Shaking. The collection blends themes touching on depression, identity and power into an exciting, made-to-be-heard-live package. Similar to celebrated regional contemporaries such as Turnstile and Pinkshift, the band creates kinetic, moveable music that is as fun to listen to as it seems like it is to create.
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At their most appealing, the songs on Stop Shaking feel physical. The sentiments are direct, and the riffs are pervasive and pounding. Lead single and first track “Little Ladies” builds into an explosive opening guitar and drum pattern leading way for vocalist/guitarist Rihaana Stark to rightfully rail against ever maligning societal perception of women. She sings, “you don’t make me feel safe, I do that on my own” and “tell me what little ladies do/ask me if I give a damn that I’m acting rude” finding power in herself and pushing back against patriarchal incompetence. Second track “You Don’t Know Me Like That” hits the ground running when Stark barks “GO”. Drummer Ethan Lazo grooves through the verses with bouncy tom hits and cymbal crashes while bassist Ben Lazo’s laid back riff leads into the shout along chorus. When present, simplicity and repetition work well in favor of the band’s songwriting. Chants, shouts and commands make the hooks immediate and satisfying. On “Headache”, Stark lingers on a repeated “ache” until she warbles and distorts through the full word with some backing screams pushing the intensity forward. It is catchy and curdling.
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Stark has been candid about her struggle with depression in her previous music and on social media. Lyrically, Stop Shaking whiplashes empowering tales and mantras with honest portrayals of how mental illness in not mutually exclusive with her ability to find strength within. Highlight “7 into 21” touches on family history of addiction and coping with an infectious guitar riff and a complementary vocal melody in tandem. The track feels real and is as memorable as it is authentic. The bridge sees a particularly melodic moment with Stark singing “aahs” over the crushing instrumentals. “Not For You” declares her depression a learning process for herself, not to be analyzed or defined by anyone but her.
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While much of the subject matter throughout the record has serious connotations, it is not without its moments of humor. The first sound you hear is evocative of a video game system or computer starting up, the end of “You Don’t Know Me Like That” includes a Biggie Smalls interpolation and there’s even an instrumental interlude entitled “Tom Foolery”. The interlude ushers in the more subdued second half, cooling down from the intensity of the early tracks. Songs like “Hazards” and “Isn’t It Obvious” live in a more mellow space, reminiscent of 90’s college rock. Closer “Make Like a Tree (And Get Outta Here)” is a full acoustic track about closure and moving on.
Stop Shaking lives in the lineage of DC area punk and DIY that has been present for decades. The tracks groove and pound, inviting the listener to yell and chant along while often wedging in heavy topics. While the record translates as a solo listening event, the communal live experience seems to be truly the place to connect with the music and revel in the catharsis.
Stop Shaking lives in the lineage of DC area punk and DIY that has been present for decades. The tracks groove and pound, inviting the listener to yell and chant along while often wedging in heavy topics. While the record translates as a solo listening event, the communal live experience seems to be truly the place to connect with the music and revel in the catharsis.
