Fake Friends are an emerging post-wave group from Montréal, Canada, combining the melancholic sounds of post-punk with the obscure introspection of new wave.
A gang of pals with an ironically-titled band name, Fake Friends, are all about creating a soundscape that’s bursting with energy and layered with clever, thought-provoking lyrics. With less than 2,000 followers on Instagram and just a handful of releases on Spotify, it’s fair to say the group has a very limited digital footprint. But they’re stomping their way into the new year with a brand-new LP that invites us into their kaleidoscopic world.
Out now, Let’s Not Overthink This is Fake Friends’ full-length debut, resonating as a tribute to early 2000s alternative rock. The opening track, “Ministry of Peace,” cuts through the noise with gutsy charisma. Frontman Matthew Savage’s swagger is ever-present in his authoritative vocal delivery, as each line hits with sharp wit and certainty. “Sucker Born Every Minute” follows with distorted guitar shreds and serves as the first and only single released ahead of the album.
“In a perfect world, there is no music, so there’s no possibility of this band ever existing again,” says former Fake Friends keyboard player Timothy Bryan. It’s a gut-punching line that opens the nonchalant spoken-word track, “Five Star Review.” Perfectly placed at the album’s midpoint, the track slows things down with an earnest conversation reflecting on the band’s journey so far and what a “perfect world” could look like. Throughout, the group takes graceful digs at overconsumption. Gentle guitar tones and soft touches of hi-hats subtly fade into background noise, making it feel like a podcast with a chorus line.
Let’s Not Overthink This is just as transparent as its title. Across 11 tracks, Fake Friends unravel the complexities of overanalyzing. The group dives into hot takes, earnest confessions, and collaboration opportunities. It’s an honest exploration into their world, and a reality check on some of the unnecessary anxieties we let consume us.
Once a five-piece, now a six-piece collective, Fake Friends find themselves delving deeper into an experimental post-wave sound. Whether it’s the ferocious personalities in “Ministry of Peace” and “Living The Dream,” or the beautifully melancholic “Control,” and “Good Friends,” Let’s Not Overthink This takes listeners on a journey of feelings many of us can relate to. Its blistering highs are too gripping to skip, and the low rumble of gloomier songs always falls at the right time.
When you finish this album, you can’t help but feel closer to Fake Friends, who are otherwise just an ordinary group of friends, having the best time making music that brings them happiness. Let’s Not Overthink This is a playful compilation about overcoming your anxieties. Throughout the record, you experience the inevitable highs and lows of friendship, and that’s the beauty of it all. It’s sincerely honest and relatable from top to bottom.