Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: FM
Label: Membran
Release: 2014
Running time: 56:59
Rating: 4/5
FM are regarded as the finest representatives of the British approach to melodic rock and AOR. They’re seen as the flagship band that popularized the genre worldwide in the eighties. FM have a long-standing habit of putting out mini albums (EPs) in between their proper studio albums. Just a few years ago, any thought that we’d ever get new studio material from this band again looked like pure utopia, but they happily reactivated in 2008, and new albums started to »rain down«. Last year alone, FM released not one but two new studio albums just 14 days apart, and both were heralded by the previously released EP »Only Foolin’« with the single Only Foolin’ and a bunch of fresh live recordings.
The EP »Futurama« follows this band method. It actually bridges the time gap between the current albums »Rockville I« and »Rockville II« and the new studio album in the works. Although the EP is called »Futurama«, that track can’t really be counted as an integral part of it, since it’s a minute-and-a-half intro to the album’s second song, Cold Hearted! The first of three new songs in total, it’s a typically melodic-rock, catchily crafted number built on the tried-and-tested musical recipe of the new-era FM. Masters of re-packaging, let’s just call it recycling, they once again make smart use of their proven, ignition-ready tactics. How do you serve the audience a motif that’s been sold a thousand times so that they bite into it eagerly all over again? Few have mastered that knack. And FM are among them. »Futurama« proves it too, with the new songs Cold Hearted, Bad That’s Good in You and the ballad Preying On My Mind. Of the new tracks, Preying On My Mind follows in the footsteps of the excellent »Rockville« ballad Story Of My Life. If it’s not the strongest moment of the EP »Futurama«, it’s certainly the most appealing when weighing up the three new songs, thanks to another outstanding vocal performance from Steve Overland!
FM show respect to the loyal fans of their music with the content of the EP »Futurama« by »filling« the available space on the CD with a batch of new live recordings of some songs FM played on stages in 2013. Besides material from the album »Rockville«, the inclusion of three songs from the album »Aphrodisiac« (1992) is a surprise, among them the most famous evergreen classic, the bluesy, salt-sprinkled ballad Closer to Heaven, which became an integral track of the EP »The Blues & Soul« (1993) a year after »Aphrodisiac« came out. The live version of the classic Breathe Fire, almost “funked up”, hits particularly hard, and combined with the soul-tinged contours of Steve Overland’s vocal approach, it even edges slightly toward the rock dynamics of Glenn Hughes.
There’s no doubting FM’s live and performance form. The chemistry and consistency of the crew keep growing and maturing. It gets stronger with the years. Steve Overland remains an outstanding singer. Passionate, sensitive, and in the quieter parts his gift for living inside the meaning of the lyrics sparkles with particular finesse and »pampers« the listener who puts most of their attention on the authenticity of how the words are delivered. FM don’t disappoint. They’re masters of a highly proven, art-aesthetic, finely sculpted songwriting recipe. That’s why the EP »Futurama« is a real treat for all the insatiable FM fans around the world, and gives them a first-rate alibi for making the wait for the band’s next studio album easier. All three new songs follow the musical philosophy of the FM albums »Rockville« and »Rockville II«, which hints at the closing presumption that FM obviously won’t be offering a major stylistic departure with the upcoming new studio album either. And that’s exactly what FM fans want most.
Line-up
Steve Overland – vocals, guitar
Jim Kirkpatrick – guitar, backing vocals
Jem Davis – keyboards
Merv Goldsworthy – bass guitar, backing vocals
Pete Jupp – drums, backing vocals
Production
FM
Track list
1. Futurama
2. Cold Hearted
3. Bad That ‘s Good In You
4. Preying On My Mind
5. Tough Love (Live)
6. All Or Nothing (Live)
7. Closer To Heaven (Live)
8. Crosstown Train (Live)
9. Story Of My Life (Live)
10. Breathe Fire (Live)
11. Cold Hearted (Extended Remix)
