GutterPutter

The 2000s have called, they said that they want that big music vibe back. Friko is a two-piece American band from Chicago, Illinois who made a name out of themselves for their craftsmanship that incentivised the slacker rock style of the 1990s. With only a handful of EPs since 2019 prior to Where we’ve been, Where we go from here, the band does not have a clear established discography that they can reach out to for a decisive breakthrough. What they do have however is at least one certified hidden favourite among their small fanbase; that of the lo-fi ‘Get Numb to It!’ to which its anthemic appeal we’ll get to later. That and an interview from Open Tab that affirms both the band’s passion for music and their drive shows that it’s only a matter of time before they rise up to the top.

On the surface layer, the musical direction is more akin to conventional alt-rock without much diversion. However, the emphasis on the noisy feedback, a breather with the acoustic guitar, and the slight tinge of orchestral instrumentation with the piano makes Friko feel like a lite-version of Broken Social Scene or Wilco. This is best set up from the start in ‘Where We’ve Been’, the intro that builds from the fingerpicking style before it blows up into a full-on rocker. The lyrics within the track pertains to the desire for escapism to take an extramarital affair to another level. “Four feet between a wall and willow will make your wife a widow,” goes lead vocalist and guitarist Niko Kapetan, “So throw your arms around me”. This bittersweet proclamation is added with a tinge of longing due to the expository wait of twenty years and thus sets forth the themes and style of the album.

On the more traditional side, tracks like ‘Chemical’ and ‘Crashing Through’ rely on brief episodes of guitar screeching which backs the lower end of Kapetan’s singing. As it touches respectively on the aftermaths of partying in your late teens to the entirety of your twenties, there exists a certain kind of disillusion that draws in the angst of the Walkmen. With these points in mind, it is worth remembering that they are by no means overly deep or artsy in their intent. Their music, however much they sought to make themselves stand out, lent itself very much to the grandiosity of indie rock’s archetypical style roughly a score ago. As a result, many of the songs do come with a minor caveat that if you ever do enjoy them, there are other alternatives that would prove themselves to be a more interesting listen to say the least.

There are a handful of piano-driven ballads that lend itself to chamber pop as a key influence, taking us on a more intimate trip towards the disappointment that life can offer. ‘For Ella’ accentuates the end of an innocent friendship, one that was signalled by the metaphoric passing away as the titular Ella “[goes] to sleep and dip [her] feet in” the water on her deathbed. The piano might be a bit shoddy when it comes to the mixing and the keys for each note, but the cello and the lo-fi singing makes for a heartrending piece. ‘Until I’m With You Again’ feels like a follow-up to the previously mentioned song with two layers of pianos being played over the unyielding dedication to reunite with an old friend that’s complemented with some delicate percussion backing. At first, it should possess the risk of feeling too left-field compared to the rest of the album. Instead, it adds to the semi-retro emphasis that Friko was aiming for and by extension, it replicates the same introspective look into the mid-2000s indie rock scene as its noisier compatriots.

What I would really like to highlight is the great use of vocal harmonies that the band have used throughout the rest of Where we’ve been, Where we go from here. It’s not the Wilson-esque, choir-like style that tends to show the more ornate side of music. Instead, it’s more of the rallying cheer that is out of the pub or a stadium which adds a lot more heart to Friko’s aspirations for big music. ‘Crimson To Chrome’ and ‘Statues’ sought to demonstrate that through its combination of riveting guitar riffs, catchy choruses about accepting regrets from when they signed with ATO Records). The thundering drumming from Bailey Minzenberger only serves to add to the anthemic might that the band have all but proved to have the talent of showing. 

Lastly, what of ‘Get Numb to It!’? Its wormhole of the lyrics combined with the electric performance on all fronts from the instrumentation to the singing make for a great update from their breakout single from their EPs. The dynamism is very well-pronounced with exceptional timing on whether to quieten down the music to make room for the song to pop off in all its glory. I can’t say if people will look at it the same way we would to Arcade Fire’s ‘Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) from two decades ago, but the depth of its charisma will surely win many people over. Capping off the rest of the album after is the calm, melancholic ‘Cardinal’ where the Christian voice ponders over their depression and whether they can recover from their seemingly indefinite struggle. The cello and the violin syncs exceptionally well with one another in the bid to hammer home the anguish in a way that closes the record’s insight into nostalgia and the past.

Where we’ve been, where we go from here is a solid, solid record that embraces its inspirations from two decades ago. Friko might not be the most original in their creation or the most innovative in their technicality. However, they make up for it in their charming songwriting and sheer impact of their bombasity. With bops after bops that know how to balance its melodrama well with a knack of infectious beats and hooks, the band has a real possibility of becoming big in the future. How epic would it be for there to be a video a few years from now where, in an arena that’s filled to the brim, the whole crowd chants “So you better get numb to it / Get numb to it! / Get numb to it!”?

4/5