Intensely intellectual and driven, Fort Sensible by Tape/Off calls into question the acceptance of many aspects of the modern day. Set somewhere between angsty, passionate rock and deeply soulful lyricism, this Brisbane based band invites the listener to questions their lives and surrounding, all the while maintaining many of the long-time favourite aspects of the Australian pub-rock genre.
The album opens by keeping close to its rock roots with Pixelated confetti, a song reminiscent of beloved pub rock classics that sets the tone for the album with a longing view back to past “good times” seen also in Paris, Texas, Queensland and ZZ Pop. These more positive tracks are deeply contrasted by the passionate and rebellious themes of Nightshift, On the verge, and the Title track Fort Sensible. These songs take vastly different approaches to asking the same questions of “what’s the point” of modern decadence and the degradation that brings. As a listener, it’s hard not to feel sympathetic to the bands message through the sheer passion they put into each and every lyric. For those who take a little longer to dig into the lyrics, they may find themselves surprised by Into the ocean and Flat Earthers. Flat Earthers takes a satirical approach to critiquing wilful political ignorance from the perspective of a flat earther and creates space for listeners to reassess their own views. Into the Ocean stands out as an exploration of ocean pollution through the vessel of a personified ocean character struggling to clean up around him and is an incredibly creative dive into a complex topic.
The album makes heavy use of fast paced, driving guitars and intense drums that underline the fuelled messaging of the heavier tracks, and yet the band still finds time to breath and let the listener digest with breaks into solemn rock ballads such as Crying on the kitchen bench, and even dips into psychedelic rock themes on Monday. The album structure when listened in order, provides a balanced and poignant experience that brings energy, intellect, and burning passion to some very complex issues.
That said, more casual listeners may find themselves somewhat confronted by the more on the nose tracks, however there is still plenty on this album to just sit back and enjoy.
Overall, Fort Sensible by Tape/Off is excellent. It’s a challenging, rewarding listen for anyone who appreciates quality rock music with a serious side. If you're looking for an album that will make you think, feel, and maybe even question a few things, then you absolutely need to check out Fort Sensible.
Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/album/1JKVXZsgOKyKFNKs0ozD2z