Album Review – Fifth on the Floor’s “Ashes & Angels”
For a couple of years now, a nasty rumor has prevailed on the dirty internet that I would quote “NEVER (in all caps) mention Fifth on the Floor.” Of course the perpetrators of that rumor failed to recognize that before it even started, I was playing the band’s song “Distant Memory Lane” on my KOOK radio show out of Junction, TX at the time. It wasn’t because of some preconceived bias against the band that I decided not to write a review for their last album Dark and Bloody Ground, it was because despite my appreciation for “Distant Memory Lane” and a few of their other songs, I felt Fifth on the Floor’s effort was average. And being Southern rock by their own definition somewhat put it out of my jurisdiction to begin with. I review albums that I can find words for. This requisite precludes many albums from being reviewed, even good and great ones.
Ashes & Angels as a whole is a more solid offering from the Kentucky-based band, but again suffers somewhat from the same issues of their previous work. You get the sense when listening to Fifth on the Floor that they really want to be professional musicians for a living, and work really hard towards that goal. This is opposed to playing music for life, as an undying necessity for sanity and self-preservation that tends to result in wholly original expressions of breathtaking impact on the heart and mind.
Though it wouldn’t be fair to call all Fifth on the Floor’s songs and words cliche, they hover just slightly above this label, residing in well-worn lyrical grooves. In Southern rock this is acceptable, a lot more acceptable than it is in country because Southern rock tends to build out from the guitar riff. But since Fifth on the Floor dabbles in country a lot more than your average Southern rock band, it brings this criticism of lyrical quality into play. At the same time, the new paradigm for Southern rock bands here in 2013 is to be more progressive lyrically, and this is evidenced in bands like Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires, The Alabama Shakes, and Glossary as examples. Fifth on the Floor fits more of the old school classification of Southern rock, but even Lynyrd Skynyrd had their moments of thoughtful and original soliloquy. Fifth on the Floor seems to be trying to achieve moments of depth, and sometimes they do. Sometimes. If they exclusively presented themselves as a “fun band,” that would render deep lyrical criticism as unwarranted.
Shooter Jennings produced this album, and even if you tried you couldn’t get away from that fact. In much of the verbiage and marketing accompanying this album, Shooter’s name is presented before the name of the band or the album. This is pretty uncommon in music, but not unheard of. It is done with T Bone Burnett and a few other producers, but always feels like a disservice and a sign of disrespect to a band. The name of a producer should never be more than an interesting footnote, and never the most forward piece of information presented by a project. In fairness to Shooter Jennings, this is likely not his fault. Label reps and publicists tend to focus in on big names involved in projects to buzz them in the media.
As evidenced by Ashes & Angels, Fifth on the Floor doesn’t need to piggy back off of any name. They are a tight knit group of musician friends with formidable musical skills and a top notch ear for arrangement and composition. Despite the average songwriting effort– an effort that still boast some elevated moments–the appeal for this band rests in their ability to get you to lose yourself in the music. And it could be said that the only reason you recognize the lyrical shortcomings is because the music is so good. The music of songs like “Whiskey” and “Burnin’ Nashville Down” is superb, but the lyrics give you the sense that you’ve heard this one before…a few times before.
There’s a set of very curious musical decisions on Ashes & Angels as well–efforts at boldness that in places are pulled off, and others that make you crook your neck like a dog when they hear a strange sound. In a couple of instances, this album makes you want to outright cover your ears with attention-grabbing incongruent guitar interjections that interrupt the mood and groove of the song. It would be easy to blame Shooter Jennings for these miscues, and they do match the signature of similar elements on Shooter’s last two albums. But we don’t know that to be the case. In the end it’s Fifth on the Floor’s name on the front of the album, and they deserve all credit or blame.
The song “Shotgun” is going along just fine until the slide guitar begins to careen out-of-control, ending in a dissonant and obnoxiously-loud screech. This same approach rears its ugly head again in “Wild Child” when an extremely loud, high-octave assault of the eardrum transpires out of nowhere. The beginning of “One Big Holiday” is when I finally began to identify with Fifth on the Floor’s songwriting, but then come to discover it is a My Morning Jacket cover, and then here comes this overly-processed guitar scream in what is supposed to be a sincere and subtle song.
Beyond the awfulness of the performances, these elements are way too loud in the mix, more loud than your average guitar solo, like they are meant to be the most prominent ingredient on the album. Instead they constitute the music version of fake hustle. Fifth on the Floor is manned by good players, so why resort to bits and acrobatic music stunts for attention? The instrumental “The Last Opry” may also fall into this category for some, but in this instance the performance is all tone, evoking the mud dripping roots of the music in a rousing and engulfing experience of sound. This was the approach some of the other solos begged for, but instead received the Steve Vai stunt guitar treatment.
One of the greatest moments in Ashes & Angels is when the angelic Rachel Brooke lends her voice to possibly the album’s most well-written song “Wine.” If anyone needed yet another piece of evidence that Rachel Brooke should be bestowing her tone to music projects far and wide, here it is, and the lyrics of the song rise up to meet Rachel’s timeless contribution. But her duet partner and Fifth on the Floor’s primary vocalist Justin Wells, who throughout the album delivers really energetic performances, gets unnecessarily timid around Rachel, making an uninspired and eepish counterpart instead of meeting Rachel’s challenge. Maybe Justin didn’t want to get in her way, but if that was the case, he shouldn’t have sung at all instead of stumbling around with the task.
Yes, I have a lot of criticisms of this album, but in the end music is there to be enjoyed, and when skipping over certain decisions pertaining to this album, Ashes & Angels is a very enjoyable work, maybe even more enjoyable than the heady poeticism of some of the more progressive Southern rock bands. Like all Southern rock bands must possess, there’s a kinship here amongst Fifth on the Floor’s members that translates into their songs and recordings, giving them an infectious and fun vibe. This is music you feel a part of. It is easy to identify with and relate to. Fifth on the Floor possess an intuitive sense of what sounds good to the Southern ear, and an elevated musical skill set to pull it off.
“Whiskey” is a really enjoyable, straightforward country jam that you can’t help but get your arms swinging to. The aforementioned “The Last Opry” might be one of the album’s best autonomous performances. “Wine” is one for the ages, and may have been even without Rachel Brooke’s participation, as would be “One Big Holiday” sans the synthesized guitar solo.
But I want more from this band. There’s too much music, and too many bands out there right now to be nothing less than wholly original and strikingly bold. And not bold with strange, risky wank-off guitar moments, but with deep down expressions evoked from the inner depths of the human soul–expressions that meet the music Fifth on the Floor is throwing down. 2013 is not the year of the guitar, it is the year of the song.
In the end, there’s more to like on this album then there is to not like.
1 1/4 of 2 guns up.
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April 22, 2013 @ 11:58 am
Fully agree with the guitar parts pointed out…all that was needed was for them to be taken down in the mix in many instances They just do NOT make sense at the volume they are at. I am a guitar guy…love it. Experiment all you WANT with it. It’s hard to piss me off when it comes to guitar, but holy hell the mix in some of these songs is questionable at best.
I do agree there are some really good songs on this album, it just seems a bit misguided all around, and probably could have had a few more “ears” lent to the production side of things. It just feels like a mess in parts.
April 22, 2013 @ 12:15 pm
I agree, the issue with the guitar parts starts with the volume. ANY element in a song if it is mixed too high will come across like it is screaming at you, making your ears focus on what you hate about it. Technically these guitar parts taken by themselves could be considered pretty bad ass. But that doesn’t mean they fit the mood of the song.
I kept thinking back to guitarist Marc Ford on The Black Crowes album “Southern Harmony & Musical Companion.” On songs like “Sometimes Salvation” and “No Speak No Slave” he pulls off crazy-assed, dissonant solos, but they fit the mood, and are in the right level of the mix. Here, it seems like Fifth on the Floor thought these songs needed something, and so they added these solos in to get the song attention. Being safe is no fun either, but you have to know where to strike a balance.
April 22, 2013 @ 4:21 pm
Trig,
You gotta stop these reviews and clips. My wallet can’t take much more. LOL
Nice group thanks for introducing me to all this great music.
April 22, 2013 @ 4:45 pm
The one thing I didn’t expect to read in this review was that the album was lyrically challenged. I came away from it very impressed with Justin Wells’ songwriting, most especially on “Wine”, like you said, but also “Angels In The Snow,” which is my favorite song on the album and a few others. I have the feeling if any of these others were the work of Leroy Virgil you might have a different opinion. I enjoyed the album as a whole, but as you’ve said, everybody has different tastes for music.
And I know this review is about Fifth On The Floor but… “even Lynyrd Skynyrd had their moments of thoughtful and original soliloquy.” What the hell is this about? Ronnie Van Zant was a damn lyrical genius. Even overplayed Skynyrd songs like “Sweet Home Alabama”, “Gimme Three Steps,” etc were thoughtful, creative, original, and told a deep story. Dig down a little deeper in to their entire body of work and you find songs full of pretty heartfelt, beautifully crafted lyrics.
April 22, 2013 @ 5:19 pm
That line about Lynyrd Skynyrd is speaking more to the stereotype. I totally respect Ronnie Van Zandt and that band as songwriters, but I think that their songwriting is often overlooked, just like it is for artists like Hank Jr. and David Allan Coe. When you mention Southern rock, and Lynyrd Skynard specifically, some people think of “Freed Bird” and think of songwriting as an afterthought. I was basically trying to refute this stereotype in the context of this review.
I agree “Angels in the Snow” is one of the better-written songs on the album, and its not that the songwriting doesn’t have its moments. But I want more from them. When critiquing an album, I not only critique an album against its peers and predecessors, but what I think the band is capable of. In songs like “Angels in the Snow,” “Distant Memory Lane,” and “Wine,” I can see that this band is capable of some great things lyrically, but I’m worried their lyrics sometimes become an afterthought to the music itself–the guitar parts and arrangement. Here in 2013 and in the independent circles they run in, people play close attention to lyrics. It is arguably the most important element of the song.
As for if this album was from Hellbound Glory or someone else, would I see things differently? I knew before writing this review that these comparisons and assumptions would be made. I really respect Leroy Virgil as a songwriter, but I’ve also not been afraid to say when he writes a dud, and he’s written a few. Fifth on the Floor is its own animal, and was listened to and critiqued no different then any other band I review.
April 23, 2013 @ 9:06 am
I definitely get what you’re saying about Southern rock bands but if the only thing people are listening to is the guitars they’re missing the whole point; and I can see why you used Skynyrd as the example rather than a band like the Allman Bros.
And I whole-heartedly agree that lyrics are aruably the most important part of the song. I think that is the major problem with what’s being categorized as country music today. People buy the hook and the beat but they aren’t actually listening to the (usually moronic) words that are being sang and/or rapped (Aldean, Shelton). Maybe I’m overvaluing the lyrics or maybe you’re undervaluing them, maybe neither, I don’t know, I just really enjoyed the album.
April 23, 2013 @ 4:50 am
Figure I’d point out that “One Big Holiday” is a My Morning Jacket cover. And a pretty awesome one at that. Until the crazy guitar madness.
April 23, 2013 @ 12:10 pm
I can understand some of the criticism, but I still think this is one of my favorite albums of the year so far. I came into No Depression/SCM type music through the Drive By Truckers, so I’m not exactly on the same musical wavelength as the majority, being more inclined towards southern rock. To me FOTF reminds of a hybrid between DBT and Hellbound Glory. This album isn’t perfect by any means, but judging by how far these guys came from their last album to this one, I think they’ve got a bright future ahead of them.
April 24, 2013 @ 1:38 pm
Aside from my criticisms, I do really think this is an enjoyable album, and in the end that’s what you have to ask yourself and wipe away any worries about specific criticisms and simply enjoy the music. I also think they have a bright future, and sensing the potential of Fifth on the Floor is one of the reasons I felt so inclined to share my concerns about this album.
April 24, 2013 @ 10:42 am
I enjoy this album alot but there just doesn’t seem to be any songs on it that match the greatness of “Distant Memory Lane” from the last album.
April 24, 2013 @ 1:34 pm
I would still call “Distant Memory Lane” their best song.
May 21, 2013 @ 6:39 pm
I feel like most of your criticism for the production of this album is mostly due to your dislike of Shooter. What a disservice to FOTF! I happen to love Matty’s guitar work and don’t feel it takes away from the songs or are misplaced. Again I believe those comments are meant more for Shooter than Matty’s work. FOTF are great guys and great musicians and Justin’s songwriting ability is well above average! Coming from someone who loves Southern rock AND great country that tells a story and evokes deep emotion FOTF delivers with music and lyrics that sometimes make my heart hurt. Don’t punish the band because of Shooter. Oh and I love Shooter, love him with little hearts and flowers. Grow up! Your use of big words does not hide your almost comically transparent review as just another attempt to jab your blog stick at Shooter!
May 21, 2013 @ 9:51 pm
I know I probably can’t say anything that would convince you otherwise, but nonetheless let me reiterate that I take my review writing very seriously, and consider myself a professional who must put personal taste and bad blood aside when judging music for it to have any regard. I would also say that some of the opinions I shared are also shared by others, including people here in this very comments section. I also have heard from two of the band members personally thanking me for the review, and specifically for the honesty with which I wrote it. I would also point out that despite some criticism, I still gave it a positive rating, and believe there is more good than bad here.
“He wasn’t afraid to speak up on his ideas even though sometimes they were pretty damn controversial.”
That’s a quote about Shooter Jennings from the EPK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjowEPtfPck
May 22, 2013 @ 1:59 am
You probably for the most part take your review writing seriously but I still stick by what I said where it concerns this review only. The band members thanked you because they are extremely wonderful humans and they appreciate reviews and feedback. And again they are fucking nice guys!!! So please be honest and admit that you said shit in that review that were veiled jabs at Shooter. Please just once cause you did admit in comments section in another article that you wake up with the pure intentions of writing a review to piss off an artist and their fan base. That really isn’t the height of professionalism is it Trigger?
May 22, 2013 @ 4:34 pm
“cause you did admit in comments section in another article that you wake up with the pure intentions of writing a review to piss off an artist and their fan base.”
Link?