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AFI Bodies (2021)


I have not been able to stop listening to Bodies, the eleventh studio album by AFI since this album belatedly showed up on my radar.  I have personally connected to it.  It expressed feelings I had not been able to process into emotions,  provided me with inspiration, and made me want to dance thus, making it my favorite album of 2021. 

Lyrically, singer/songwriter Davey Havok's ability to write from a deeply personal emotional space paints a mise en scene,  the use of smart turns of phrases, and an uncanny way of forming synesthesia through words is a unique skill not too many songwriters can accomplish.  Bodies is brilliantly produced by guitarist Jade Puget, who strategically layers harmonies and melodies by arranging synth, drum machines, and background vox to fill in, and complement the different elements of AFI. He makes a lot of smart decisions as a producer and it is exciting to listen to anything Jade produces because he lets elements stand out at the right moment and knows how to build up songs to have a satisfactory payoff.  Drummer Adam Carson consistently keeps the album from veering too much into Blaqk Audio territory and his blasts of energy keep the songs fun and upbeat when the themes can be so dark.  Hunter Burgan's basslines are the backbone of many of the songs, they keep the listener grooving and dancing along, like a connection to the body to keep us from getting too much in our feels, songs like "Dulceria" not only depend on it but are the reason why the song is a success.  There is something about that thick-ass bassline that makes me think of the consistency of caramelized sugar, like a musically induced Proustian moment.  "Dulceria" is also co-written by Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins who is the only person outside the band to have ever collaborated with them in the songwriting process.

The album starts off with "Twisted Tongues" whose droning intro is interrupted by blasting drums and then other elements of the band are introduced, the last line of the chorus "I whisper in reverse" reminds me of David Lynch's Black Lodge where they would speak backward, it has a prescient and gloomy feel to it.  "Far Too Near", "On Your Back", "No Eyes" are the songs that are the most quintessential AFI--the elements of group choruses, guitar riffs, and pop-punk drums and basslines are something that I love and is recognizable.  They have shown their evolution as musicians, in terms of complexity, richness, and experience from extending a song through bridges and having the background vox sing rounds.  "Begging for Trouble" which has a bouncy bassline, is dark and sexy, has an air of sexual tension, and shares many of the forbidden attraction themes that keep coming up like in "No Eyes" which is full of riffy thirst traps that sneak up on you- they are hot, and gave me the shakes. In juxtaposition "Back from the Flesh" stands out for containing Catholic/religious elements, e.g. turning the phrase "Get behind me Satan" to "Oh, Christ get behind me", praying for help from temptations of the flesh in a monastic manner.  The synth and keyboards, and harmonizing background vocals create a feeling that is ambient, somber, and ethereal. 

On the more primal end of the spectrum are bangers like "Escape from Los Angeles", "Looking Tragic", and "Death of the Party" which are the most danceable of the tracks, which to me is very important.  "Escape from Los Angeles" is synth-heavy almost a Blaqk Audio bop with the added AFI group chorus and guitar riffs like the cherry on top of a cake.  "Looking Tragic" is a tongue in cheek sarcastic commentary on those who seek the "tragic" in others out of boredom, like the trainwrecks we cannot help but watch and be drawn to, and I also love the gender inclusionary bridge:

"What a total mess, I'll take her
What a total mess, I'll take him
What a total mess, I'll take her
What a total mess, I'll take them
Um, uh"

The song is the most alt-rock song in the album, it has a great organic dynamic from the AFI we all know and love. "Death of The Party" is a good mix of those two songs-- talked through poetic lyrics, and a bassline reminiscent of the B-52s "Rock Lobster" and a hybrid mix of drum machines and drummer--such an interesting song to dance to, a cacophony of beats leading to a direction I hope that I hope they keep following and experimenting.

"Tied to a Tree" closes out the album in a slow somber track with an acoustic guitar riff and slow-paced beats that lend to ambient vibes.  The song is one of longing for connection, in the present and the past. The song mentions "the whitest hare" by the end of the song" the whitest hair".  The white rabbits (hare) are an ongoing theme and symbolism in their lyrics and artwork, e.g. Decemberunderground.  AFI succeeds at balancing the longing for connection between all the past iterations and its present expression in this album. As for the future, I can only hope for AFI to keep trying new things, and I look forward to seeing them on TOUR! They always put on an amazing show and the pent-up energy they must have is going to make for a memorable experience.

AFI will be on TOUR Feb/March 2022 with Cold Cave in NYC Terminal 5 on 3/3/21. 

I am already going and would love to see who else is going!?  What songs are you hoping to hear!? 



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