Photo Credit: Dan Cohoon

With a band name like Fat History Month and song titles like “Free As A Cat” and “Old Lady Smokers” it’s clear these guys don’t take themselves too seriously. Hailing from Boston, the guitar and drum duo shoots out big echoey noise, booming drums, and cerebral lyrics. Their first full length, Fucking Despair, came out in September and it’s a good one. Here are my three favorites from the album and a brief interview with the dudes.

Review

“Old Lady Smokers”
Sparkly, yet crunchy guitar and then “This is an ode to all old lady smokers”. That’s the opening lyric. These ridiculous lyrics, sung quite wonderfully I might add, are backed up by the big flowing instrumentation. Then it all breaks down and builds back up. The squeaky vocals and stuttering drums glide through to the finish.

“Nature”
A slow simple meandering rhythm and guitar riff—that immediately reminded me of Vince Guaraldi—starts this one off. It has an earthy jungle feel. Like nature. “And then it gets worse” as he sings the lyrics, the song staggers into a mess then a breakdown then a full stop. The song slowly builds back up. I think eventually I even heard a xylophone backing up the beautiful guitar part. Faster and faster and faster and faster until the swirling break where it all comes back to earth for the big noisy finish.

“Struggle Buddies”
The guitar bangs sporadically, then a relaxed riff sounds. Then the banging. Then the riff. Back and forth. Until the beat picks up and the guitar echoes. This relaxation period doesn’t last long before the guitar bangs again. Louder and louder until people start talking and chanting in the background. Then it slows down. Tribal rhythm beats behind plucked guitar strings. With a screech, the electric guitar joins in. Slurred riffage, plucked acoustic, tribal rhythms, and mellow vocals all come together for the smooth ending.

Interview

How did you form?

It was kinda gruesome, best left in the past. It happened about 5 years ago.

How do you write songs? 

Usually the music comes first and then the words. Lately I’ve stooped to picking over text messages that seem clever. It’s pretty lame when your best poetry is written with your thumb, but I guess you gotta take it where you can get it. It’s easier when there’s a theme to work off, like on Fucking Despair. “Free as a Cat” was a natural response to “Free as a Cat on a Leash”. Coming up with a nice stupid song title is always a good starting point too. Then you get to work in the pathos later.

What are your influences?

Too much free time, junk food abuse, The Dick Panthers, Dust From 1000 Years, Ugh God, Florida=Death, Porches, Space Ghost Cowboys, Phil Elverum, ye olde Modest Mouse.

Do ethics play a role in your music?

I thought they did, but then I got bored and lost them. Now I’m just bored and lost. Not sure I understood the question.

Any future plans for touring or releases?

Bad History Month, sometime, if we can get a few more songs. We’ll probably tour a bunch in the spring I hope. We’re going to Chicago with Pile at the end of March. I’d love to get back to Texas, Arizona and the West Coast this year but it’s a long haul. Maybe in the fall.

Is there a fantastical tale accompanying the name?

Ya, there’s a whole book of them, it’s called The Fat Man In History by Peter Carey.