FM's 'Thirteen' - Album Review

Despite AOR never really being a big deal here in the UK, London's FM have been churning out cracking albums since forming back in 1984. If it is agreed that Foreigner do not truly count as being a UK-based band due to many of its founding and subsequent members being American, then FM are probably the best-known of the UK-based AOR acts - and they have become a reliable source of quality over the past few years. The band probably had an opportunity to break through into the mainstream in the late 1980s, but for whatever reason big success eluded them. In truth, the band members were all probably born in the wrong country. FM's early singles should have been staples on American rock radio as they contained everything that was popular at the time: big hooks, boisterous synths, and a smooth production. The band could have been big stars with the right promotion, but sadly greater success never came. Despite this, FM have still managed to have a good career, and they are one of those bands that you can see live quite regularly here in the UK without making too much of an effort to do so. They are also very prolific, and seem to never run out of new material. The band's first two albums, 1986's Indiscreet and 1989's Tough It Out, will always be my favourites, but all of the band's recent releases have been great too. The modern FM sound is perhaps somewhat bluesier than that which is found on their early albums, and there is very much a Brian Howe-era Bad Company vibe to a lot of the band's recent releases, but recent FM still very much sounds like FM. That being said, 2020's Synchronized (which I reviewed here) seemed to focus more on the band's AOR roots than the few albums that came before it. I am not sure exactly what prompted this slight change in sound, but it worked for me. Synchronized soon became my favourite of FM's recent albums, and it is one that I have continued to listen to pretty regularly. I was not expecting another FM album so soon, despite their prolific nature, but it seems that the band used the COVID-19 lockdowns productively. This is because, last month, the band released their thirteenth album - which is unoriginally titled Thirteen. The band probably could have come up with a better title, as there are a few albums out there with the same name, but the music contained within is once again up to FM's usual high standard. It is perhaps the most diverse album sound-wise that FM have written, however, at least in recent years. The band's two core sounds, smooth AOR and bluesy melodic rock, are still very much here, but there is a lot more groove throughout the album than is common - and there are a handful of tracks that sound quite different to much of the band's previous work.

It is one of these different-sounding songs that starts things off. Rather than starting with a bang, Thirteen gets underway in a rather smooth, synth-based manner. Shaking the Tree is not a riff-heavy rocker, but instead opens with busy synths and a propelling bassline from Mervyn Goldsworthy. Despite FM often employing a lot of synths and keyboards, the synth sounds used throughout Shaking the Tree sound quite different from the norm. They are very poppy, and somewhat more modern sounding than is typical for FM's 1980s-centric sound. A few drum loops and soundscapes add to this feeling, but as soon as Steve Overland starts to sing the song immediately sounds like FM. Overland's voice is one of the best-preserved of his generation, and he sounds as good as ever throughout this album. His performance ensures that Shaking the Tree fits in with the rest of the FM canon, even if the synth route taken throughout is somewhat experimental. The guitars are generally kept to a minimum here, with the bass and drums propelling the synths, but a lengthy guitar solo from Jim Kirkpatrick introduces the instrument properly to the album. I am not sure that Shaking the Tree was the wisest song to open the album with due to its off-kilter sound, but I like the experimentation throughout - which takes the established FM sound in new directions. Waiting on Love, the album's lead single, is very much classic FM, however. Everything that you would expect to hear in one of the band's songs returns here, from Kirkpatrick's anthemic opening chord progression and Overland's first 'Yeah!' to a soaring chorus that sticks in the brain after only a handful of listens. The song is very typical of the sound forged on 2020's Synchronized. The choruses are backed by a keyboard melody that could have easily sat on one of the band's 1980s releases, whilst layers of harmony vocals add depth throughout to create the huge sound that the band are known for. It is a feelgood song for the upcoming summer, and I would not be surprised to see it become a live favourite going forward. Talk is Cheap toughens things up somewhat, and harks back to 2018's Atomic Generation (which I reviewed here) with a more strident opening guitar riff and an overall more bluesy approach. Kirkpatrick's guitar takes the lead here, although Jem Davis' piano helps to bulk out the verses. The piano helps to add to the song's overall bluesy vibe, and Overland's voice takes on a slightly more soulful tone here. The chorus loses some of this edge, however, and instead goes for a smoother approach with some synth stabs and a chiming guitar melody. Another single in the form of Turn This Car Around follows, and the song is an upbeat, anthemic track that showcases everything that is great about the modern FM sound. There is a great classic rock strut throughout thanks to Kirkpatrick's excellent guitar riffing, whilst Davis adds some class with his driving piano lines. Despite the song's crunch and upbeat atmosphere, the track is still extremely melodic. Roy Bittan-esque piano melodies often inject memorable hooks, and of course the voice of Overland is constantly oozing out of the speakers. The song's chorus is one of the album's biggest hooks, and the song is another winner - which is topped by a lengthy guitar solo.

Love and War is much more organic in sound than anything else on the album up to this point. The song opens with acoustic guitar and Overland's bluesy vocals, before a big drum fill from Pete Jupp introduces Kirkpatrick's snarling guitar riff - which goes on to drive the rest of the song. The melodic sheen of the previous songs is largely absent here. Goldsworthy's bass is high in the mix to add some additional weight, whilst the keyboard sounds used throughout are generally quite retro-sounding. The choruses have a great organ backing, which sits nicely alongside Kirkpatrick's riffing, over which Overland delivers a powerful vocal that is perhaps a little more full-bodied than usual - with a little more grit than is usual for him. The song shows FM in something of a different light, but it works well to showcase the band's genuine hard rock credentials. Long Road Home is also somewhat more organic-sounding, but this is largely due to it being a ballad and generally more stripped-back sound-wise. Davis' piano drives the song's verses with its smouldering melodies, whilst acoustic guitar and a gentle drum pattern provide the perfect bed for Overland's crooning. As proved during the previous song, Overland can really rock out - but perhaps he excels the most when he is singing something that allows him to really dig deep emotionally. He shines during ballads as a result, and his performance throughout Long Road Home is a great mix of emotionally-charged and melodically smooth. He sounds as good here as he did on Indiscreet 36 years ago, which is an amazing achievement really. This song is all about his talents, too. The rest of the band do their bit, with Krikpatrick laying down another excellent guitar solo, but Overland's vocal performance is the main draw. Be Lucky ups the pace again, and is based around a bouncy guitar and piano riff that sets the tone for the rest of the song. Whilst not exactly funky, there is a certain groove throughout the song that gives it a distinct identity. The verses continue it on, albeit in a simpler style, as do the choruses - and the track has a certain danceable nature to them which is not typical of the FM sound. Goldsworthy's bass is once again high in the mix, which contributes to the big grooves, and the way that he and Jupp lock together is a big part of what makes the song enjoyable. There is still a bit of bluesiness throughout thanks to the guitar tone and solo, but overall the song another strong feelgood rocker. Every Man Needs a Woman very much accords with the Bad Company comparisons made earlier. There is plenty of great bluesy riffing from Kirkpatrick throughout, as well as an excellent soaring guitar motif during the song's intro, whilst Davis switches back and forth between organ washes and twinkling keyboard melodies. Despite a few synth sounds, in general this is another song that sounds relatively organic. It is not as rustic as Love and War, as there are layers of harmony vocals and a focus on some more AOR-esque moments, but parts of the track certainly feel quite retro. Perhaps the most surprising section though is the instrumental breakdown and guitar solo, which sounds very much like Extreme. I was certainly not expecting to ever compare FM to Extreme, but the riffing style and Kirkpatrick's solo seem very inspired by Nuno Bettencourt here - which is never a bad thing.

Just Got Started returns somewhat to the synth-heavy sound of the album's opening cut, but this time with much more of a traditional rock focus. There is a real groove to the song thanks to its big synths, but it is the bass that does much of the propelling this time - and there are moments that see Davis once again return to his organ for a roaring sound. As with Be Lucky, too, there is a funkiness to the piece that is not typical of FM's sound. The grooves here are extremely infectious, and I like the way that the synth-heavy sound of Shaking the Tree has been tempered a bit here. The balance between the synths and a hard rocking sound has been struck more successfully this time in my opinion, which allows the song to rock whilst still sounding smooth and full of electronic goodness. There is much more of a guitar presence throughout, too, and the bluesiness of the riffing throughout is certainly welcome. Fight Fire With Fire is more of an overt AOR track. Due to the variety of sounds found throughout the album, it is probably the first true AOR track since Turn This Car Around - and much of the organic sounds and funky beats of the previous few numbers is absent. There is still some propelling bass from Goldsworthy, but on the whole the track is one that puts smooth melodies above all else. Overland's vocal lines sound as effortless as ever, and the washings of keyboards and harmony vocals are rarely punctuated by anything else. The occasional synth melody adds some additional hooks, whilst the guitar briefly leaps from the background towards the end to contribute a short, melodic solo. It is a track that seems to focus on concise melodies in a big way, with pop hooks taking precedence over everything else - which is no bad thing as the result is a catchy song that easily sticks in the brain. The album then comes to a close with Be True to Yourself, which feels much tougher after the smoothness of the previous song. Kirkpatrick's guitar riffing throughout is quite weighty, but the song is not exactly heavy - as the riffing has a stop-start quality to it that once again creates a strong groove. Away from the guitars, the keyboards again take on quite a prominent role. Organ and electric piano melodies fill the gaps between the guitar riffs, whilst a big soulful chorus provides a final chance to sing along with the band. Due to the groove and the stop-start riffing, the song has a stomping vibe to it - which makes it another memorable track. It works well as an album closer as a result, as it has plenty of weight and melody that helps it to leave an impression when the album comes to an end. It also highlights the overall diversity that is on display throughout. Thirteen is certainly an album that does not stick to one sound for too long - but everything contained within still very much feels like FM. I like that the band have tried a few new things here, whilst other songs stick to the classic templates that have been so successful for them in the past. The album sounds very fresh thanks to this diversity, and it is another strong release from the band in a long line of enjoyable albums.

The album was released on 18th March 2022 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Turn This Car Around.