Failure’s reunion has been one of the most interesting in the alternative rock space. The group’s original run in the early to mid-90s may not have been as widely popular as other artists from that time, but the quality of the material gave them increased notoriety in the years that followed. When they returned with The Heart Is a Monster in 2015 after a seventeen-year absence, it felt like things were picked up right from where they left off. That album retained the interludes and general format from 1997’s Fantastic Planet but showcased that Failure hadn’t lost their edge. The sound still had the thumping low end and soaring, spacey melodies, but some additional textures had been injected into the formula. Following that comeback album, the group released the ambitious In the Future Your Body Will Be the Furthest Thing From Your Mind (which originally came out as four individual EPs) and Wild Type Droid which shook off some of the excess for a more concise run-time. This year Failure is back again with Location Lost, their fourth full length since reforming and it represents some of the biggest shifts to their established sound. Opting for a darker overall approach and a bit more experimentation from song to song, Location Lost took a bit more time to sink in for me but has become an album that can compete with some of the best in the band’s discography.
The album’s lead single “The Air’s on Fire” showcased early on that Location Lost would have a noticeably somber and darker slant to its instrumentation while retaining the sweeping melodies Failure is known for. But upon pressing play you’re met with a very different style that heads in varying directions from that single. Opener “Crash Test Delayed” spends its first minute or so exploring sparser electronic driven soundscapes before expanding outwards towards drearier leads that feel like a post punk infused take on the band’s sound. “The Rising Skyline” then shakes things up further, stripping things back in favor of acoustic guitar and more nuanced details that only reveal themselves over repeat listens. It isn’t until the third track “Solid State” that you’re met with the type of booming sound and huge melodies that come to mind when you think of Fantastic Planet or some of the group’s other material. Things definitely feel more subdued and moodier from the get-go, which did take more than one time through for things to fully click. But as time progressed it became clear just how strong this set of songs is, and with no interludes this time around the compact track length makes it easy to take Location Lost in from beginning to end. There’s quite a bit of variety from song to song, as “Someday Soon” has a poppier bass driven intro and bouncier rhythms, while “A Way Down” has an extremely sad and mournful sounding melody placed over top of more urgent drumming. Failure’s spacey alternative rock DNA remains intact, coming out a bit more on the second half of the album, but you can hear a lot of other musical elements that have expanded their palette. This far into their reformation that type of shift is unexpected, as it’s not uncommon for artists at this stage to be happy to stick within their established boxes, but Failure has pulled it off and there’s real staying power to what they’ve written.
The promotional material around this album mentions Ken Andrew’s back injury that required surgery and the subsequent issues with recovery he experienced, and you can hear the pain and range of emotions from that throughout Location Lost. Whether you focus in on the lyrics on tracks like “The Air’s On Fire” and the way they describe what Andrews was experiencing in the hospital or just his overall tone, it’s clear just how much he has been through and that shows in the performance. It definitely makes for some emotional peaks and haunting moments that get under your skin. Unlike some of the other bands from the same era, Failure has never been one to include guests on their albums, instead focusing on their core lineup, but Location Lost breaks from this and has Andrews duetting with Paramore’s Hayley Williams on “The Rising Skyline”. Rather than Williams stealing the show with a guest spot, the way she goes back and forth with Andrews serves as a nice complement and results in a breathtaking climax.
I’ve really enjoyed each of Failure’s albums since they reformed, though admittedly some of the material felt like it was attempting to mirror the band’s previous albums a bit too closely (particularly The Heart Is a Monster and it’s similar structuring to Fantastic Planet). But this effort feels like it adds the most new elements to the band’s established framework, and with a darker and more nuanced approach compared to some of the huge hooks of years past. Admittedly I found myself a bit skeptical on the first listen given the softer textures and less immediate hooks, but by the second time it all came together and reminded me of why this band has been a favorite for so long. Location Lost is available from Failure Records/Arduous Records/Virgin Music Group.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg