AFI: untitled retrospective

Posted by Ric on 23.11.04

Nitro Records have sent me the new AFI CD to review. I was entirely indifferent to this before listening to it, as I really wasn't impressed by 'Sing the sorrow' or AFI's tuneless live performances of the same time. The release of "AN ESSENTIAL RETROSPECTIVE OF AFI'S NITRO YEARS. FEATURING RARE TRACKS, ON CD FOR THE FIRST TIME." therefore seemed like another step too far in the wrong direction, albeit not necessarily one the band took themselves. I was pleasantly suprised; I do own all their CDs, and did know all the songs before, but I hadn't listened to them in a while and this collection reminded me that I like them.

Presumably for the benefit of those who have only heard AFI's recent output, since Davey stopped singing like a girl but started looking like one, the songs are arranged in roughly reverse chronilogical order:

'The lost souls' (from 'The art of drowning')   'The art of drowning' was the most consistant album that AFI have released, and consequently the most reliably enjoyable. It simultaneously had catchy pop tunes and pulled off the oooh-eeh-oooh harmonies more than previous attempts. Variation is added to 'The lost souls' by the unaccompanied closing to each segment.

'The days of the phoenix' (from 'The art of drowning')   This song was the obvious choice from that album to promote the band. While not my favourite one on it by any means (that would probably be 'Sacrifice theory' or 'Morningstar', neither on this compilation), it is the one which encapsulates most clearly each element of the album: 'Nightmare before Christmas' lryics, bold chord sequence, arpegiated chorus and linking sequences, and spoken segment. I still have no idea what "teenage death boys and teenage death girls" are though.

'A winter's tale' (from 'Days of the phoenix EP')   As good as the first two songs are, this is the first song on this retrospective that has any life in it. To me, this sounds like the midpoint between 'Shut your mouth and open your eyes' and 'Black sails in the sunset'. It has the speed and raw vocals of the former with the addition of the guitar and bass style of the latter. That it was used as b-side to a song from a later album suggests that either it was an older song that was considered too good to scrap despite not being typical of the current sound, or that the band still harboured repressed leanings to this end.

'Totalimmortal' (from 'All Hallow's EP')   This song is carried by the bass rather than the guitar, as became the standard style with the change of line up, but is much less smooth than other songs. The song is let down by the band attempting to break it down now: Hammertime! hardcore-style ("Now every face, it looks familiar..."), which also makes the song seem more generic.

'Fall children' (from 'All Hallow's EP')   Different sections of this song manage to sound like both Danzig the band and The Misfits with Danzig. I think this is a good thing - others may differ - but it does make it sound very dated.

'The prayer position' (from 'Black sails in the sunset')   This song allows you to note that the higher Davey's voice is, the more fun the song is. Following a pretty inauspicious start, vocals are led by Davey but alternated throughout with contributions from other band members closing most lines. The accompaniment is bold and prominant.

'God called in sick today' (from 'Black sails in the sunset')   This is a strongly crafted song. It has the overblown poetry of the verse, followed by the anthemic chorus and ooh-ooooh ooh-oh-oh-ooh harmonies, matched with the picked guitar changing to palm mute to barre chords. It was the pathetic "Through our bleeding we are one" nonsense from this period that first started to put me off the band, but this is a great song. It puzzles me that everyone didn't seize on this instead.

'Lower it' (from 'Black sails in the sunset' (vinyl only))   Most people never listen past track seven on an album. This is track eight. It is entirely likely that the tracklisting was assembled with this held in mind, which is a shame, because the next few songs are the best of those chosen. This is a hangover from the old AFI. There isn't so much a lead vocal as most of it is chanted in unison, almost like Carnivore! Davey swears halfway through the second line. You can see his twiglet hair bouncing as you hear this.

'A single second' (from 'Shut your mouth and open your eyes')   This is by far the best song AFI have ever done. The album it comes from it not particularly memorable, but was worth buying just for this one song. Very little of the tune escapes the execution, butm oddly, this probably enhances it.

'Third season' (from 'Shut your mouth and open your eyes')   The building brooding that rises then lulls repeatedly throughout 'Third season' is indicative of the album from which it is taken, though is more effective in this song than most.

'He who laughs last' (from 'Very proud of ya')   This is the first very high-pitched song on the album. Evidently from their straight hardcore roots, the delivery is paniced and the lyrics espousing values.

'I wanna get a mohawk (but mom won't let me get one)' (from 'Answer that and stay fashionable')   This is that heresy, the humorous hardcore song. If you have attached a Rancid patch to your bag using a safety pin, then this is directed at you, you punk.

'Perfect fit' (from 'Very proud of ya')   This song is very similar to 'He who laughs last', but with better music and less studied lyrics.

'Rolling balls' (from 'Very proud of ya' (vinyl only))   This is the song that, consciously or otherwise, was ripped-off in its entirety by NOFX: 'Louise'. For some reason, I don't think it would work if they sung it now.

'Who said you could touch me?' (from 'Very proud of ya' (vinyl only))   Another early, angry song. It is fun while it lasts, but is not memorable. I'd like everyone whose bleeding makes them one to pay careful attention to the lyrics.

Overall, the package is very good. While the albums each have good songs that were omitted from this compilation, the ones that I would normally select to listen to are all included. The cover art is similar to the Alice in Chains box set, but inside the inlay are attractive different-coloured takes on the cover art of the contributing releases. (The blue-tinged 'Black sails in the sunset' page works especially well.) If I could own one AFI CD, it would be this one.