Reviews

Brimming with a social conscience that is wrapped snugly around lyrics that speak to the heart of all, Fighting Fiction’s debut EP, ‘A Lesser Of Two Evils’ is a raucous medley of guitar riffs fused to reggae beats that nestle neatly amongst pure British Folk-punk – a deadly combination that commands your attention and participation.

Title track, ‘A Lesser Of Two Evils’ is a powerful bombardment of call and response vocals mixed with indie rock riffs to get your heart beat pumping and dancing feet moving. But it’s ‘Cameraphones And Choruses’ where the Bristol four piece really find their stride. Cynically attacking the so called music fan that can only watch a gig through “ a 2inch screen”, ‘Cameraphones And Choruses’ bristles with energetic exuberance and uncompromising infectiousness that explodes into a mass sing-along as lead vocalist Jacob Glew furiously asks “do you just go down to the shows for the choruses?” Perfectly perceptive with venom filled bite to match the sheer contagiousness of the track, ‘Camerphones And Choruses’ is destined to erupt into a raucous tidal wave of pure crowd pleasing pleasure wherever it is played.

Capturing the folk-punk ethos of Frank Turner, ‘You Mean The World To Me’ is a heart on sleeve gem that tenderly builds momentum until it explodes into a exuberant burst of hand claps and infectious sing along outbursts that demand crowd participation before the band recapture their reggae buoyancy for EP closer, ‘Sanctuary’. With hints of The King Blues resurfacing, ‘Sanctuary’ is a brisk call to arms that glistens with a rock tinge, reinforcing the anger of the Bristolians lyrics, ramming them home with power and passion.

Unapologetically catchy and with a social conscience that yells rather than speaks to all, Fighting Fiction immediately crave your attention, capturing you from the first rush of jingle fused beats and failing to relinquish their hold until the last burst of gang led vocals truly ensnares. More than promising, this is a band that you need to discover now.

12/13 Room Thirteen

“…their appeal is that what they articulate what a lot of people are thinking – the most obvious case being lead track ‘A Lesser Of Two Evils’, with its cutting “Red or blue both look the same/Choose what you disagree with less” and its crowd-friendly calls for change. And being crowd friendly is certainly something the band excels in, packing in singalong and call-and-response moments. Raucous and energetic, this is the stuff to lift the roofs off venues in a wash of raised beers and raised voices. Our personal favorite though is ‘Cameraphones And Choruses’, a side-splitting song for those annoyed by the YouTube brigade (“Could you really enjoy a song staring through a 2 inch screen/When you’re really in the room when the band begins to sing?”). Naturally, the chorus is impossibly catchy.”

Rocklouder 4/5

 “A Lesser of Two Evils, the debut EP release from Bristol four-piece Fighting Fiction, sees the band coupling reggae-tinged guitar-punk, boisterous gang vocals and massive melodies to good effect. Meshing together the punk spirit of Billy Bragg with some delightfully British lines (“maybe I’m just having a shit day”), the four songs here showcase just enough bluster and promise through their bouncy rhythms and driven guitar lines. ‘Sanctuary’ and the title track are atypical 3rd gear guitar-punk, shredding their way through frontman Jacob Glew’s damnations as to how one person can effect so many others; whilst the deliciously sarcastic ‘Cameraphones and Choruses’ sounds like a wrongly cast-off Sonic Boom Six B-side, bounding along on a thick ska-punk wave with a resounding fist in the air.”

Rockmidgets.com

“A Lesser of Two Evils introduces itself with infectious reggae-ska guitar and ends with the same style in Sanctuary. If you appreciate an intense British accent, lead singer Jacob Glew provides a passionate performance.”

Red Brick

“Stormin’ Norman! Tight punchy playing and production with warped off-kilter lyrics in the great English tradition of songs like Arnold Layne and Tracy Jacks. A storming track.”   

Tom Robinson (BBC 6 Music)

“With echoes of the Libertines, The Clash, The Pogues or any number of brit-folk-punk rabble-rousers, this is certainly a powerful genre with its ability to propel live events with a raucous electricity and sense of danger.” 

Davey Ray Moore (Producer)

 “The title track to the Bristol based four piece Fighting Fiction is liberally draped in reggae tinged punk timings and ska guitars all being played fast and fiercely with Jacob Glew singing lyrics about not playing the cooperate game to conform with what is expected from them. “A Lesser Of Two Evils” evokes memories of London’s Calling era Clash with the lyrical content of a Billy Bragg and the delivery of the aforementioned Bragg or latterly Frank Turner.

 “Camerphones and Choruses” is a more straight ahead uptempo song that mixes modern-day punk ideology with driving indie guitars. Lyrically the song deals the crowd at gigs who sing along with just the choruses at gigs and whether or not these people believe in the lyrics that they are singing back at the band or are they just doing it to look good in front of their friends. “Cameraphones and Choruses” is a short, sharp blast at those who are all style and no substance in the scene. The song is driven and to the point while delivering the bands message in a concise way.”

Sleep on the left

“The Bristol quartet demonstrate the same mixture of vitriol and perception as the former Million Dead singer songwriter on this 10-minute manifesto” …“With their punk rock, which is mixed with a dash of indie and a little ska, they are equally adept at tackling the political and the personal”

Issac Ashe’s: Sound Advice