Album Review: Fear Of Flying - 'Somewhere Over the Pacific'

Melbourne outfit Fear Of Flying don’t actually seem to be afraid of lifting off the ground, contrary to what their name suggests. Their debut EP ‘Somewhere Over the Pacific’ is a strong entry into Australia’s rock game, however, keeping in mind that it is an initial release and not a magnum opus; Fear Of Flying don’t seem to have discovered who they are just yet.

‘One Fine Day’ launches the EP into existence with the line ‘streetlights seem to be the only lights that I now see’. The first few seconds give the impression that the release will follow a line of pop punk, but it doesn’t. Instead, its weighty instrumentals push it in an unexpectedly alt-rock direction, particularly with the maturity of the vocals, from depth to diction. ‘They’re All Nightmares’ follows, which shifts towards a more metallic style (what with the over-enunciated ‘r’ thing that American metal bands do best), while maintaining a hefty rock foundation.

‘The Last Minute’ extends on the metallic tinged pop rock that occupies this EP through its somewhat heavier guitars, complete with a couple of nifty electric tricks and an overall darker finish. It’s enjoyable, but there are some parts that crack the shiny lacquer and expose mixing and production flaws. ‘Dear Life’ reinforces the record’s central concept of relationship struggles, albeit in a way that is a tad repetitious. ‘Hibernate’ ends the listening experience in a partly anthemic manner, rounding off the EP with a banger that could easily get a crowd chanting.

So if these tracks are mostly all well and good, where’s the problem? The issue lies in the fact that although they’ve been executed successfully, there are some lyrics that sound recycled (i.e. ‘without you and me there is no me’) and both thematically and instrumentally, innovation and sincerity aren’t in the foreground.

This is a snappy little release that's enjoyable enough to get into, even if you get deja vu when you hear it one too many times. Having said that, it's undeniable that Fear Of Flying possess the potential to evolve and mature, and to use their evident musical talent to propel them forward.

1. One Fine Day

2. They're All Nightmares

3. The Last Minute

4. Dear Life.

5. Hibernate