Soaring in from the Windy City is the power-pop/punk rock band FuzzBucket and their striking new 10-track album entitled 'Liars & Slime.'
With a top-notch sound featuring driving guitars, thundering bass, and pounding drums alongside dynamic vocal portrayals, it's safe to say that FuzzBucket will be making their way into your playlists sometime soon. FuzzBucket is none other than Charlie Nesler on vox/guitar, Joe Rosenfeld on guitar/backing vox, Ben Palmisano on bass, and Teddy Thornhill on drums.
Jumping into their latest record, 'Liars & Slime,' we're greeted with the 00s-esque down-and-out anthem entitled "Take Out," where FuzzBucket kickstarts the record with lively energy and a certain blasé attitude that offers hints of grunge and numbness. This song perfectly sets a powerful, emotional, and exciting tone for the record.
Following this is "Acetylcholine," which is totally reminiscent of grunge acts that paved the way for talented newcomers like FuzzBucket. Pacing themselves with the next track, "Mongrel Dog," the band's fuzzy guitars, punchy drums, striking vocals, and driving bass licks truly leave us with loads of anticipation for what's to come throughout the record.
Haunting our speakers with the next track, "Snowflake," this one offers a more introspective feel through Nesler's emotional lyricism accompanied by FuzzBucket's mid-tempo and soul-soothing instrumentals.
Stomach ache? Scarf down some "Peptobismal" with FuzzBucket's next track. This song blazes through our speakers right off the bat and is definitely the most exciting aspect of the record thus far. Another reflective yet upbeat track hits our speakers with "Disappointment," which takes us through the trials and tribulations of feeling like you're not enough. Interestingly, FuzzBucket drenches us in a rather bright and comforting instrumental to up the song's emotion.
Reaching the project's sizzling seventh track, "Under The Bus," we're instantly reminded of acts like Pearl Jam merged with the rousing instrumentation of The Tragically Hip through FuzzBucket's cathartic lyricism and their fiery arrangements.
Slowing it down with "Wrong Again," this track might just be our favorite on the record. The hazy lead guitar and punchy rhythm guitar perfectly set us up for one of the most compelling and powerful listening experiences. Before we know it, FuzzBucket jumps into a heated and exhilarating surf-rock-inspired banger with "Quantify Me," that's slightly overpowered by a hefty punk rock approach. This song is like a stimulant; it'll have your mind and heart racing with each crashing drum break, crunchy guitar riff, and Nesler's carefree vocal performance.
One of the most beautiful outro songs to ever grace your speakers is FuzzBucket's 10th track, "Listerine & Tea," which features a soulful acoustic guitar and Nesler's warm and gripping vocals that sing of trudging through a long winter while keeping hope for a brighter and more rejuvenating day. If there's anything we took away from this record, it's that life throws many curveballs your way, and FuzzBucket is here to remind us that everything is still in motion and we still have time to save ourselves from wasting valuable experiences being down-and-out.
Move your mind and soul with FuzzBucket's latest 10-track album, 'Liars & Slime,' now available on all digital streaming platforms.
Welcome to BuzzMusic FuzzBucket. A big congratulations on releasing your thorough and dynamic 10-track album, 'Liars & Slime.' How long did it take your group to create this record from start to finish?
Recording for 'Liars & Slime' took place over three years. We are fortunate enough to have access to a studio regularly, so we record songs almost as they come in. We are fortunate to be able to do things this way. Some of these songs were written and recorded years ago, and then in the case of "Snowflake," that was written and recorded while we were already in the mixing process.
Were there any experiences or concepts that inspired your album 'Liars & Slime?' What message did you want to get across?
'Liars & Slime' is a lyric taken from our song "Wrong Again," which is about being careful of judging others' idols when yours could have just as dark secrets. That being said, the overarching idea is that we are all tired of people being liars and slime. We would hope that our art speaks for itself in what we want to get across, but at the end of the day, as cliche as it sounds, it is up to the person listening to determine how it makes them feel. Hopefully, we are all listening loud and having a damn good time doing so.
What is the significance of the introductory track, "Take Out?" Was this song meant to capture the habits and lifestyle of someone who's somewhat discouraged?
"Take Out" was written way before covid, so it's a song about a discouraged person instead of what life has become for a lot of us. But you know we've all been so depressed you don't even want to leave your room. The only thing motivating you is the take-out food that's coming. The only thing holding you back is the pile of garbage on the table.
What was a typical day in the studio for your band when creating 'Liars & Slime?' What does your band's creative process usually look like?
A day in the studio varies for us depending on what we are cutting. Some of the songs were recorded live, and some were recorded in an overdub fashion. Jay's Garage is in a super secluded spot with no windows, and it's beyond easy to lose more than a few hours in there. That's the way we like it: get in there and get to work. Most of the time, when it comes to the way we write, a member will have most of a song written, and they'll bring that to the group, and we jam it for a while.
Sometimes the song stays the exact way it was when it came in, and others will get torn apart and reworked until it sounds right. We are a pretty cohesive group, so writing with the 4 of us comes pretty naturally. We like to demo songs early on and start listening back; this makes it easier to hear what a fan would listen to. It gives us an outside view of what's happening in the rehearsal space while we're working on the tune. Plus, it's a bonus to hear where something started when it's all said and done. Most of our tunes begin on an acoustic guitar and then morph into what you hear now.
Like Charlie and Joe wrote "Listerine & Tea" years ago with the idea of FuzzBucket but no band. It sounded too good acoustic, so it stayed that way. That is probably the oldest song on the record. "Disappointment" was pretty much written in the studio. Joe said he had a new tune, and we laid down a scratch to send to people, and the next thing you know, there are drums on it. We eventually re-recorded that live as a band.
How did you want your album, 'Liars & Slime,' to make the listener feel? Did you want to evoke any specific thoughts and realizations?
We want people to turn it up loud, get a vibe going, and forget about all the BS around them. Past that, they can judge for themselves on what our songs mean.
