The title track opens with a spoken word section over droning instrumentals, a brave choice for your first EP. But then, Folly Group appear to be a brave band. Their music is filled with off-kilter grooves that are somehow tight as hell while sounding like they are about to fall apart. "Butt No Rifle" is a standout track that perfectly encapsulates this aspect of Folly Group's music. Shifting guitar riffs underscore obscure lyricism about "cowboy shit" and surrendering to love, directed by the locked in rhythm section. "Butt No Rifle" is a certain standout, but this EP packs a punch in it's short runtime. The moment when the distorted bass and drums kick in on "Awake and Hungry", the laserlike synths that ripple throughout "Ripples", the pulsing preaching of "Four Wheel Drive". These, among others, show that this EP is full of great individual moments. Luckily the songwriting skills on display here means that these moments coalesce into an energy-filled and endlessly interesting 20 or so minutes.
"Awake and Hungry" is a strong opener, featuring esoteric lyrics about a house that is a living being, which is of course, awake and hungry. Considering the EP's 2021 release date I have a hard time feeling that this track isn't at least somewhat influenced by the COVID era lockdowns. I know I sometimes felt like the house was swallowing me whole during that time. It's a great track, that builds and pulses towards a roaring conclusion. "Four Wheel Drive" is decidedly more unhinged, carrying itself with a mechanical groove that breaks down in the chorus. Despite their other influences shining through, the post-punk vibe is clearest through vocalist Sean Harper's delivery. This is exemplified by "Four Wheel Drive", it's chorus basically grinding to a halt as Harper delivers the mantra "it will look like a kiss". His delivery throughout the EP is certainly hitting nervy post-punk notes, however something about it is unique enough to remain interesting and not derivative. "Fewer Closer Friends" is a weaker track in my eyes, but I certainly wouldn't say it's bad. It has a catchy hook and interesting lyrics throughout, along with a driving bassline. I think the thing that throws me off is the squeaky hinge sounding thing in the verses. It's not a pleasant sound and while it does lend a send of anxiety to the track, that anxiety tends to lead to irritation rather than tension. "Ripples" is probably the most experimental track here, which is saying something. It features what I think is a cowbell-led breakdown and the aforementioned laser gun synths, along with a vicious yet fun delivery by Harper. As mentioned, "Butt No Rifle" is a clear standout for me. It was my initial introduction to the band and after hearing it I knew that I needed to check their work out properly. It drones apocalyptically, yet has a sense of tongue in cheek fun about it that adds levity. The constantly shifting soundscape of this song leaves me in awe, always feeling like it's about to fragment and break down but never actually doing so. Driven by one of the best guitar riffs this side of Bloc Party's "Helicopter", "Butt No Rifle" is worth your time and an excellent primer to Folly Group. But they're not done yet! "Sand Fight" closes the album out with a straightforward post-punk ripper. While the experimentation shown on "Awake and Hungry" is generally very cool and successful, it's nice to hear them do something a bit more straightforward. Best part is, they fucking kill it. "Sand Fight" is an incredibly strong closer to an incredibly strong EP that has me very excited for their upcoming debut, slated for a January 2024 release.
Your greatest folly is not having already checked out Folly Group, and you should fix that.
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