More than a week has passed, which means I’ve been given ample time to listen through AFI’s 11th full-length album, Bodies, to fully appreciate its awesomeness. Not that I really ever had any doubts. And even though I was able to experience over half of this new release in the form of singles in the months leading up to the full release, there was still so much to enjoy cohesively about this record.
Truth be told, there is literally no bad song in this bunch. There’s been four years in between their last album and Bodies, so they clearly spent this time cultivating 11 perfect tracks, that all fit together but also brought about their own uniqueness in the process. Also, while it reminded me at times of Crash Love, Burials, and most notably, The Blood Album, these songs were still fresh and new territory for the band. I think like most artists, the quarantine was a good time to create and really push the boundaries for what AFI can deliver. The fact that they are still this amazing after more than twenty years together is still mind-blowing.
Anyways, here’s what was amazing off the record. “Dulceria” had the funkiest bass-line I’ve ever heard from them and the chorus was just heavenly. “Looking Tragic” was perfectly sassy and punk all at the same time, which I love. Finally, I can’t help but think of lead singer, Davey Havok’s novels, Pop Kids and Love Fast Los Angeles when I listen to the song “Escape from Los Angeles.” Seems too perfect a coincidence. Other strong and punchy tracks off the album included “Begging for Trouble” and “On Your Back.” Perhaps the most different off the record was closing track, “Tied to a Tree,” which gave off a real creepy vibe, but also made me think of fantastical things like the show The Magicians and the upcoming film The Green Knight.
Perhaps the weakest songs off the album were “Back from the Flesh” and “No Eyes.” The former does remind me a bit of Decemberunderground’s “The Interview,” which I now love but it took me some time to truly appreciate. Nothing was inherently wrong with “No Eyes,” but it just wasn’t as memorable as other songs off the record. Really though, if these are the weak spots in a record, then there are some bands out there that should just shoot for this level! Seriously, they are still perfect in their own way, I just need a few more listens to really cement my love of them.
Overall, I really liked the direction Bodies took this time around, while also being the perfect next step off of The Blood Album. It’s a natural transition while also calling back a bit to their prior work. These songs were also maybe some of the shortest ones they’ve put out in recent memory, which really brings me back to the notion that they are more of a punk band then anything else. I really hope I hear some of these new songs on a lot of different Sirius XM stations, because they really transcend a lot of different genres. When you sound as awesome as AFI, they deserve the recognition. Here’s hoping for a tour soon!