Breaking out in a big way, I Fight Dragon’s latest album has surpassed anything they have put out before. “Kaboom!” was released on October 24 and was met with a great reception from fans.
The band I Fight Dragons is a nerd’s dream. Combining the high voltage of power pop and the 8-bit and chip tune sounds of Nintendo games (referred to as NES), the band has delved further into the genre of Nintendocore than anyone else has dared to go.
However, do not let the band’s own self-declared nerdiness scare you away. They still sing of love, heartbreak and hope better than anyone else around. While some songs are created entirely from the NES system, other songs incorporate 8-bit so even fans can hardly pick it out from the rest of the music.
The band recently experienced some turmoil, as female singer Laura Green left the band due to personal reasons. However, a little over a year later, I Fight Dragons has released what is quite possibly the best album this year.
The band included old songs into the mix, such as “With You,” (featuring new female vocals by Kina Grannis) and “Don’t You?” “Kaboom!” is the perfect combination of old goodies and new songs that will completely blow your mind.
The title song, “Kaboom!,” is the first song that deserves a listen. It is fast-paced and features the perfect amount of NES to introduce new listeners to the sound. New listeners interested in giving I Fight Dragons a try should definitely check this song out first.
However, the absolute best song on this album is “Fight For You.” An absolutely delicious love song featuring the smooth vocals of lead singer Brian Mazzaferri, this song deserves the repeat button for hours on end. With absolutely adorable lyrics (“Save the girl and the world will be jealous/ Wouldn’t you if you knew that the truth/ Was the girl will take you too) the song is the perfect love ballad.
Those looking for some emotional motivation via music should check out “Disaster Hearts.” A slower song, that features more NES sounds than the previous two songs, it once again shows off the simplicity and clarity that is Mazzaferri’s voice.
However, Mazzaferri is not the only one with vocal talent in the group. They are also known for mixing in some a capella into songs. “Working” is an excellent example of this. Starting off with the combined singing skills of the group, NES sound effects (anyone else hear some Pokemon in it?) and then moves on towards the fast-paced, high-energy music that is their trademark.
From their ever-growing fan base and their continuing gratitude towards these fans, it is blatantly obvious that I Fight Dragons will be around for quite some time. The band gives out free songs to those who sign up for their e-mail list (almost 20 free songs have been given away since it’s start in 2009) To sign up, check out their website: http://www.ifightdragons.com.
Check I Fight Dragons out when they hit up the Firebird later this month on November 20. Tickets are only $12 and the show is definitely going to be something to remember.
Grade: A+
By: Janaca Scherer, Managing Editor
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