The band Friko has grown to become one of Chicago’s most alluring musical exports, which is saying a lot with bands like Beach Bunny, Ratboys and Briggitte Calls Me Baby in the mix.
The band’s last album, Where we’ve been, Where we go from here, was a great listen and was their first after signing with ATO records. Now, with the arrival of Something Worth Waiting For, they've leveled up, and are proving that they know what they're doing.
I'll admit that when I first heard "Seven Degrees," which is Something Worth Waiting For’s lead single, I wasn't immediately hooked. My first thought was “this sounds a bit like a middle of the road Bright Eyes.” Now, after listening to Something Worth Waiting For in its entirety, my opinion has completely changed. “Seven Degrees” is a great track. So is “Alice,” “Choo Choo” and “Hot Air Balloon.”
Weak links are few and far between on this record.
Now, Friko is a little tough to nail down sonically, but there are definite influences from groups like Bright Eyes, Mitski and throwback groups like The Kinks, The Modern Lovers or even T.Rex. They combine a lot of these sonic resonances to create a unique sound in an oversaturated indie rock landscape. That isn’t easy to do.
Take “Choo Choo.” This is the most rocked out Friko gets on this record, and they almost sound like an in-their-prime Sonic Youth. This is an album standout, and I can only imagine how fun it will be to see this song performed live. Also, the tune has some insightful musings about modern transportation. The track is earnest in its feeling, much like the rest of the record, and it proves to be one of Friko's strongest tracks to date.
"Alice" is a melancholy song that puts Niko Kapetan's lyric writing on full display. My best guess is that this is a love song focusing on longing, and when you look through "the keyhole" you might find you're more similar to someone than you thought. Or maybe it means you should have never looked through "the keyhole," because now you know more about someone than you bargained for! As with many song lyrics, it's open to your interpretation.
"Hot Air Balloon" continues the same feeling that "Alice" established but enhances it, and this track is bursting with feeling. We interviewed Friko last year and they spoke a bit about this song's inspiration — a hot air balloon festival that appeared overhead while they were on tour in New Mexico. As you listen to this track, imagine waking up to hot air balloons drifting by. You can feel the awe in the music. After a couple listens of Something Worth Waiting For this song has my vote for best song on the album. The guitars are strong and Kapetan sounds assured in his delivery.
During the journey of Something Worth Waiting For I kept thinking about how great the music would sound as the soundtrack to a Wes Anderson movie. Something about their music just channels the same feeling as watching The Royal Tenenbaums or Rushmore. I mean this in the most complimentary way of course! Put on "Seven Degrees" and play Rushmore on mute and tell me it doesn't work perfectly.
Another thing I'd like to mention about Friko is that they’re nice, approachable people, which we learned during our interview before their xBk show. Their kindness goes a long way in an industry that is incredibly cutthroat. If their trajectory continues, Friko will likely be remembered not for a single breakout moment but for a steady accumulation of albums that rewards close listening. Friko is on their way to becoming one of the greats.
