Fucked Up: Glass Boys

Fucked Up: Glass Boys (Matador, 6/3/14)

“Articulate screaming” seems like something of an oxymoron unless the thing being articulated is consummate rage, but here we are again, well into the career of Toronto punks Fucked Up and lead singer Damian Abraham, who has made a living out of discourse via battle cry.

It’s been about three years since the band released 2011’s David Comes to Life, the rock-opera concept double album whose ambitions convinced some of the toughest critics around that hardcore punk had risen from the grave. Now, with Glass Boys, Fucked Up dials back the sprawl a bit and ramps up the textures: Bassist Sandy Miranda is now more in the mix, as the band’s three guitars better blend with the low end. Drummer Jonah Falco, meanwhile, adds half-time overdubs to expand the rhythmic reach.

Tracks such as “Paper the House” are compact powerhouses of songwriting and articulate screaming. No scare quotes needed—it works, and here, each riff packs as much punch as a track on David or any other Fucked Up album.