FTK - 'Achilles Heel'

FTK take on a new approach to pop rock in their new single ‘Achilles Heel’.

‘Achilles Heel’ is a bit strange. The opening few bars is industrial sounding, as if it has been sampled from Tom Waits’ ‘Mule Variations’ album. But then ‘Achilles Heel’ goes into a laid-back bluesy feel not entirely dissimilar to ‘Brothers’­-era Black Keys, with the hand claps and simple percussion and acoustic guitar motifs. I thought I had the track nailed then, but the vocals were not what I was expecting. They remind me of Jello Biafra (of Dead Kennedys fame) in the shrill high pitch wailing, but they’re melodic and appeal to the pop market.

This is not a straightforward track as you delve into what’s going on instrumentally. The distorted guitar lines are heavy yet melodic. Yet there is a feeling of improvisation to them, as if the guitarist turned up on the day of recording and made it up on the spot. And they seem to build with intensity to the end of the track. Very interesting!

Lyrically, FTK don’t break any new ground. The lyrics aren’t cliched, but we’ve heard them all before (‘’Why don’t you talk to me?/Why don’t you ask me how I feel?”). But that doesn’t matter. The brain likes familiarity, therefore FTK may enjoy some mainstream success and radio play.

Words of Matthew Brocklehurst