Album Assessment: fun ~ Some Nights

Thank good giddy god for fun. The group are essentially what happens when three people come together with a varied but musical background and channel their collective passion & talent into something new and fabulous. At times it's pop-rock, at other times bombastic opera-rock and other times it feels like a huge broadway theatrical production. And in between all these times, there are stunning vocals, creative and engaging instrumentals and of course hooks galore that make the album an absolute winner from start to finish.

Like many people I was exposed to fun through Glee covering We Are Young and checked out their debut album Aim & Ignite. It's fair to say that this album is a logical progression from that charming yet eclectic set of tunes and one that will no doubt expose them to a much wider audience. They seem to have an ability to transcend genres and produce inspiring, uplifting music. It all kicks off with the rousing Some Nights, which begins with a country music-esque choral intro before some tribal drums kick in & an energetic Queen-meets-Mika style performance ensues. It's a sensational opening and sets an incredibly high standard for the entire album. This of course is then followed by the now ubiquitous but never tiring We Are Young. It's an absolutely celebratory tune that has rightly been described as anthemic - it's total knockout. The off-kilter beat, the choral harmonies, the tempo changes, the perfectly timed addition of Janelle Monae - all brilliant. It's lyrical riff of "tonight we are young/so we set the world on fire" is thrilling and liberating whatever your age as you sing along. Epic. Carry On seems to be intent on channelling Rod Stewart, though never to the track's detriment. It's an elegant, somewhat restrained opening that vibrantly explodes into a pub singalong tune that sparkles both melodically and lyrically. It Get Better (a musical response to the internet campaign for providing hope to young gay teens?) changes the musical atmosphere again with galloping percussion and fuzzy guitar riffs that hold the tune tightly together.

Elsewhere, a number of highlights continue to make the record completely ace - most notably One Foot. It's an incredibly inventive musical excursion that uses simple ostinato and a compulsive bass to complement the hip hop elements & themes woven into the tunes. Lyrically it juxtapositions down beat tales with a more positive "just carry on" - the music, energy & sheer creativity exuding from this track make you uplifted and tingly anyway! Stars seems to marry two almost distinctly separate styles together (rock and r'n'b) into one tune without skipping a beat. Just as it starts in one direction, it veers off into another and it's all jolly exciting. Overall, that's representative of the whole album - it is a heady journey through musical styles, varied instrumentations and an outstanding array of talent. Utterly immense.