Has this site really been around for two whole FM album cycles? It feels just like yesterday I was reviewing their last studio album, Synchronized. In reality, nearly two years have passed since then and we’re now onto album #13, appropriately titled, Thirteen. Considering the “Bad Luck” associated with this number, you’d think they’d want to call this album Fourteen, but FM aren’t a superstitious bunch. They’ve survived the fads of grunge, nu metal, and retro revivalism while staying true to their classic AOR sound. They’ll be damned if they deviate from that formula at this stage of their career.
Much like Synchronized, Thirteen is a musical goody bag of melodic hard rock, pop infused AOR, and adult contemporary. However, whereas Synchronized resided primarily on the lighter side of the spectrum with only a few hard rock moments, Thirteen evenly balances both genres. It wasn’t until I heard this album that I forgot how much I missed the harder side of FM. Cuts like “Talk is Cheap”, “Love and War”, and “Every Man Needs a Woman” boast bluesy grooves, anthemic hooks, and pure guts, reminiscent of fellow countrymen Whitesnake and Thunder.
When they aren’t cranking their amps to 11 and rocking the house down, FM proudly showcases their freakish ability to write and arrange melodic rock earworms. I’m not sure if “Waiting on Love” was released as a single, but with the right marketing team and a handful of radio stations that aren’t beholden to their corporate overlords, this would be a smash hit. In fact, slip it to an oblivious adult contemporary radio programmer, tell him it’s Maroon 5, Train, or any number of the mom friendly acts who have unintentionally borrowed from the FM playbook, and watch what happens from there!
As if their musical and songwriting abilities aren’t enough, FM also have a knack of making me feel, well, just flat out good! Whether it be the Thin Lizzy-esque carefreeness of “Turn This Car Around”, the 80s tinged “Fight Fire with Fire”, or the straightforward rowdiness of “Just Got Started”, this band never fails to put a smile on my face. I guess in that respect, you can file Thirteen in the “feelgood album” category alongside Frontiers labelmates Edge of Forever with Seminole. The lyrics aren’t as blatantly motivational or upbeat, but musically speaking, they’re kindred spirits indeed.
It’s been almost 40 years since FM arose from the ashes of the NWOBHM and early melodic rock scene; four decades of a tried and true formula that still resonates to this day. In that respect, I guess they’re the AOR Motörhead. There’s no need for “growth” and “development” when you’ve already got your recipe for success down on the first album. Thirteen albums later and that recipe still hits the spot. Soaring vocals, warm synths, intoxicating melodies, and hard, but not overbearing, guitars: That’s what FM is all about and will continue to be about until their fuse blows out. Let’s hope that isn’t for a long, long time!
7 out of 10
Label: Frontiers Records
Genre: AOR
For fans of: Foreigner, Whitesnake, Thunder