Album Review: FUR - 'When You Walk Away'
FUR are proving to be one band you can’t walk away from with this brand new record.
The Brighton act first started making waves in 2017 with hits such as ‘If You Know That I’m Lonely’ and ‘Trying’, leading to the release of their self-titled debut EP in 2019 and full-length Facing Home Mixtape in 2020, and things have only been getting better for the band. With their own brand of indie rock taking off in a time where the indie genre is at its hottest, they have found the best sound at the best time. The proof is within When You Walk Away.
Eleven songs wrapped up with a two-part title track, the record plays like a storybook with an ambiguous moral. The sound and style is calm, heartfelt, but the stories tell of woe and pain and overall apathy for the world. Tracks like ‘The Fine Line of a Quiet Life’ and ‘To Be Next To Her’ are full of feeling and truth, and are relatable anthems to those who are losing hope in humanity and everyday life. A majority of fans and music lovers around the UK and beyond will be able to see their own lives in these tunes; and that’s what powerful storytelling in song is about.
There is no need to be too loud or too in-your-face to express innermost thoughts and beliefs, and FUR execute this with no struggle. ‘Love You All The Time’ is a standout song in these terms, and is one of the frontrunners for a fan-favourite of the record. The image of viewing this live on stage, with all the voices singing the chorus back and sways from the crowd, shows that the band have found themselves and their style with When You Walk Away and that this is the style they need to translate in a live setting. A concept there is no doubt they can smoothly bring to life, no pun intended.
FUR have struck rock gold with When You Walk Away and if this is the clear crisp sound of their future, then everyone is in for a warm fuzzy treat - especially when it comes to the live side of their music journey.
Never walk away; it’s time to run towards FUR.
Words by Jo Cosgrove