Politically charged writing in music is common, but it’s usually not
very good. With these topics, bands get way too ham-fisted with no
subtlety and not enough focus on simply making good music. That’s where
A Fragile Tomorrow comes in. This band has been making political music
since their inception, but with the musical talent and passion to go
with it for once. We find them to be one of the most enjoyable bands in
this subgenre, and now that they have a new album out in “It’s Better
That Way,” we’re eager to see how they pull it off this time around.
https://mpress.lnk.to/ItsBetterThatWayPreOrder
Now, the band has a bit of a reputation for combining rock music with
experimental ideas, and that’s not lost here. We do find that the
experimentation has been toned down a bit compared to previous albums,
but it’s still here and it all sounds… quite nice! Many times
experimental music can sound odd just for the sake of sounding odd, but
here everything is in service of making pleasant music. Taking a more
conventional approach to the songs here was a good idea, it makes the
unique moments stand out more.
Also, we’re quite floored by the production on “It’s Better That Way,”
as it’s clean. When songs are complex like this, the mix can get quite
muddy. Here, everything sounds great, you can clearly make out every
single instrument, and the vocals come through clear. Even some of the
more unique sounds and synths work in tandem, with everything blending
seamlessly together. The band’s musical style is unique, and we’re glad
to see them refine it further.
The lyrics here are of course political, but they’re still good lyrics.
The songwriting on here is clever and witty, without being too pushy.
We’re quite glad that many of the songs are enjoyable regardless of
political views. Singer Sean Kelly is passionate on the things he’s
singing about, and it comes through loud and clear in his voice. It’s
powerful, paired with fun music for an enjoyable experience.
We’re overall quite pleased with the “It’s Better That Way.” It sets an
example of how music like this should sound like, showing excellence in
execution that many in the subgenre lack. We enjoyed our time with it,
and if A Fragile Tomorrow’s future works are as good as this, then we’re
excited to see more.