No matter how you slice it, 2024 is shaping up to be an incredible year for new music from veteran bands. There is something magical about bands who have been at it for 30, 40, or even 50+ years, and are not only able to create new music and tour, but make new music that is as potent and powerful as their “classic” output. Such has been the case for English AOR veterans, FM. Their last two albums, Synchronized (2020) and Thirteen (2022), blew me away with their ever infectious hooks and precise musicianship. Their latest affair, the aptly titled Old Habits Die Hard, does so as well, standing tall as one of their strongest post-reunion outings to date.
Similar to Thirteen, Old Habits Die Hard continues the “melodic hard rock, pop infused AOR, and adult contemporary” formula that put FM on the map four decades ago. Admittedly, this musical fusion has made FM a hard band to pin down, even within their own AOR field. However, it has largely worked to their advantage, winning over fans from all walks of life. Whether it be the most hardened of metalheads or the classy melodic rock crops who prefers their jams on the polished side, you’d be hard pressed to find somebody who doesn’t like FM.
One aspect that’s synonymous with FM is their soulful edge, which is largely thanks to the Paul Rodgers-esque vocal delivery of frontman Steve Overland. Of course, the band tends to throw in some groovy Bad Company flavored chops as well, especially on cuts like “Don’t Need Another Heartache” and “Lost”, the latter of which would’ve been all over rock radio circa ’89. In true FM tradition, they never manage to adhere to this formula for long, treating us to a diverse collection of songs that run the gamut of classic rock stylings. What threads them all together is their emphasis on unforgettable hooks.
Despite hailing from England, FM sure channels the west coast AOR spirit on the opening “Out of the Blue” and “No Easy Way Out”. Smoother, poppier cuts like “Whatever It Takes” and “Cut me Loose” sound in line with the Bryan Adams tinged stylings of 2020’s Synchronized, while still managing to be compelling. My favorite cuts, however, are the ones that showcase the band’s hard rocking roots above all. From the kickass romp that is “Leap of Faith” to the ominous ferocity of pseudo-ballad “Black Water”, when FM rocks, they rock hard!
Yet again, FM has dialed in and gifted us with another all killer, no filler platter of melodic rock bliss. In the face of adversity, they’ve managed to continue doing what they do best, and that’s being themselves. Seriously folks, I implore you to deep dive into their catalog. There’s not a single alt-rock misstep to be found. This is a band who’s always been true to their fans, and most importantly, true to themselves. It’s in this defiant spirit that FM embodies the Old Habits Die Hard ethos better than any other band out there today. Let’s hope for our sake they don’t shake those old habits anytime soon!
8 out of 10
Label: Frontiers Records
Genre: AOR
For fans of: Foreigner, Bad Company, Thunder