FYPM - Dumbed Down: Album Review

F.Y.P.M: Fuck You, Pay Me.

I can tell I’m gonna like these guys. 

It’s been awhile since a new band has gripped me this hard. Browsing through Tankcimes’ recent catalog I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting but I am certainly glad I found FYPM. Hailing from Oakland, FYPM is a crust punk band with emphasis on the punk. Dumbed Down is their debut on Tankcrimes, and they make quite the first impression.

I mentioned that FYPM is a crust punk band with emphasis on the punk. This is an important distinction to make in this genre. Generally, crust punk ranges from harsh noise of grindcore to “even angrier Black Flag.” It’s nice to find a band more concerned with the latter. FYPM’s crusty punky style means you have lots of harsh screaming and heavily distorted guitars, but with the class, organization, and catchy breakdowns of a punk rock band. It makes for a nice combination that’s easy for those not into crust punk to get behind.

And it’s a pretty crunchy combination too. The guitars are heavily distorted yet don’t get the harsh white noise treatment that many crust punk bands go for. It means that every riff that the band puts out is very discrete and has a level of weight and impact. The bass and drums play a similar part, accentuating the lunatic levels of speed and anger the band goes for. I can easily see people finding the vocals very annoying on this record, but I chalk it up to a similar level of insanity as crossover thrash acts like S.O.D. and Cross Examination. The vocals are fast and loose with lots of angry yelping. It’s not not the most original thing in the world, but the execution of these vocals is what really make them work. The vocals are filled with such anger and bitterness; you can really feel the emotion just flow out of him as he yells. This, coupled with the angry lyrics about gun nuts, society, and isolation, make for a really entertaining, if maybe a tad “2edgy4me” experience. The band also isn’t afraid to fill every song to the brim with an ultra catchy breakdown or a riff borrowing from the crossover/speed metal spectrum. It makes Dumbed Down’s ultimately small package feel hearty and diverse.

On the other hand, while I did really enjoy my time with this album, I was hoping for something a bit longer. Dumbed Down certainly feels worth the $5 the band is charging for it, but with songs that barely scrape 2 minutes each and a runtime of about 18 minutes, I just found myself longing for me. I appreciate the band wanting to keep this album concise and not wear out their welcome, but I was so infatuated with the speed, the hook filled songs and the tremendous breakdowns, that I was genuinely deflated when the album was over. And going back to the lyrics, I couldn’t escape the feeling that this band is being a little edgy. “Steubenville City Limits” for instance focuses on a “sports obsessed society”, calling anyone who can catch or throw a ball “the ruling class”. “Ammosexual” meanwhile discusses gun nuts and uses the phrase “Obama’s commin’ to take your guns”. I understand the intention, but it’s already an outdated reference. The band feels genuine in what they are bringing to the table, so I can’t fault them for being honest, but I couldn’t help but cringe at both themselves and myself as I reflect on how I probably would have taken these lyrics to heart if I was back in middle school.

A little immature? Ineed. Nonstop fun? Oh hell yes. FYPM’s Dumbed Down is a fun surprise from Tankcrimes and it's easily one of my choices for album of the year. Just have your fun before it’s over.

9/10