Music Review: FXRRVST "MAY XXVI"

$10 CAD //
https://fxrrvst.bandcamp.com/album/may-xxvi //

To me, great music is timeless.   I've never been one to follow any sort of website in terms of when music is being released because I try to put up reviews as they come out but I'm not into the whole "end of year list" or anything like that.   The album "MAY XXVI" by FXRRVST is one of these instances where I missed this when it came out earlier this year but am thankful that it was still sent to me more recently because it is one of the better albums not just of this year but in general.

You never really understand how much music is dominated by men until you hear that one really great band fronted by a woman and can't find comparisons.   The music of FXRRVST is along the lines of pop punk and even "emo", which when I first heard it back in the day was along those lines of New Found Glory, Saves the Day, Get Up Kids, etc.   And I think of FXRRVST in this way but there isn't really a female counterpart to those bands (No, not even Paramore)

On some levels I can only really compare this with The Rocking Horse Winner and That Dog in the way that it's pure.     The songs are upbeat with plesant melodies, though the lyrics can be about heartbreak.    I only really think of it in a pop punk (or maybe pop rock?) sense because after you hear this a few times you will find yourself singing right along with the first song: "Time is filling me with doubt / it's overtaking me" and even further on into "Drown me in the holiest of waters".

Back in the early '00's I would've loved for there to be an album like this.   Maybe there was and I just didn't know about it because the Internet and social media weren't what they are today.  I mean, back then I was still getting CDs sent to me.   Regardless, I'm more than happy to hear it right now and just as a quick shout out I feel like this band really needs to tour with The March Divide.   This is one of those albums you'll hear and wonder "Where has this been all my life?"   You need these sweet, infectious sounds in your life whether or not you realize it or not.