In early 2020, Stand Atlantic’s ascent looked pretty textbook. Debut ‘Skinny Dipping’ had flown out of the traps, with follow-up ‘Pink Elephant’ ready to go. And then everything went to shit. Some might have kicked their heels for a couple of years, waiting until they could take their last album on the road. Not Stand Atlantic.
‘F.E.A.R.’ is the sound of a band grabbing hold of their own narrative and using it to channel a world of frustration, anxiety and confidence in their own vision. Described by vocalist Bonnie Fraser as “an anti-concept album”, it’s a record about throwing yourself into the void and seeing what bleeds out.
Opener ‘doomsday’ sets the mood, a frenetic, all-too-relatable breakdown. There’s no romanticising of grandiose bullshit here - ‘pity party’ has no time for that - while ‘dumb’ chucks genre boundaries out the window to make an anthem for the ages. Visceral and addictive, ‘F.E.A.R.’ is a vital rallying call.
In refusing to sugar coat the messy stuff, Stand Atlantic have made a record that cuts through the fake facades of a world obsessed with appearances. Embrace the chaos.
