Search - Fr, Action :: Last Man Standing

The return of the Vigilante

C. Price | Norwich, Norfolk United Kingdom | 09/12/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The return of the Vigilante



It's hard to believe that the first outing for Fr/action's Vigilante was back in 2002. He is back in the new album `Last Man Standing' and life hasn't got any easier for him! He continues to fight crime as the day of final judgement nears.



I can't tell you how much I was looking forward to the latest release from Fr/action, but I can say that it more than lives up to my expectations. As with `Crimes of the Future' this is a great collection of tracks that certainly don't disappoint. This album builds on the success of Crimes and takes those trademark beats and strong melodies to another level; the songs on Last Man Standing flow effortlessly from one to another and are all so easy to listen to. The greatest success of this CD is that it works on so many different levels; the music playing against a backdrop of moral decay in a world laid waste to by a nuclear holocaust, while the songs themselves tell the Vigilante's story. Not forgetting the tight beats, which are sure to be a hit on the dance floors.



An added bonus to the CD, as well as the couple of videos included on the disc, is a unique code that comes with each copy. Don't lose this, it will enable you to access a special area of the Fr/action web site - www.fractionhq.com - where exclusive remixes are waiting for you.



I loved Last Man Standing the first time I heard it, but if it's at all possible I like it more and more with each listen. The synths are impressive and the melodies are catchy, like me you're sure to have them playing in your head for some time afterwards but you won't mind! The original album is an old friend now; I have no doubt the same will be true of Last Man Standing. This is a great CD which just begs to be listened to; it's well worth the money so don't hesitate, order your copy today."

An incredible second album!

Seth Hauser | Chicago | 10/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the most unique things about Fr/Action is that instead of an album being a collection of songs, it's more of a story where each track is a chapter. "Crimes of the Future", the debut album, had the Vigilante (the main character) living in a decaying society, fighting for survival. In "Last Man Standing", an apparent nuclear holocaust has left the world in shambles, and the Vigilante is forced to become Mad Max in order to stay alive. The only classification for this is "Sci-Fi Music"... it's like a book set to an unrelenting dance-beat.



My over-riding favorite on the album is "Irreversible", which is probably my favorite Fr/Action song to date (ranking only slightly ahead of "City Nights", the B-side from the Vigilante EP). This track is often the first one I'll listen to before going back and playing the whole album. "The Living and the Dead" is also a great song with a catchy chorus, and "New Flesh" offers a very hopeful view of the Vigilante's fate in this new frontier. I also enjoy "Partners in Crime". Don't miss the music video on the enhanced CD-ROM! Definitely more creative than most music videos, this one tells a story just through the images that enhances the story of the Vigilante.



I have two small complaints about the disc, but they aren't enough for me to drop the rating from 5 stars. My biggest complaint is the fact that the songs have only one verse (a problem I had with "Crimes of the Future" as well). There is so much more room for content here, yet every single song has one verse, a chorus, repeat the first verse, repeat the chorus. A second verse in every song would definitely help to add much more depth to this story-telling adventure. As it stands, the content seems rather one-dimensional.



And my only other complaint is where do they go from here? Fr/Action has established themselves as more of a story than a band, so another album would practically be obligated to follow this format. In that respect, they may have painted themselves into a corner. How much story is there to tell here? Even Mad Max had only three chapters, and the last one was debatably rather lame. Can Fr/Action continue the story of the Vigilante in future albums and have any originality? This is a truly unique musical experience, but one that seems destined to have an end. There's only so much you can say about one guy fighting to stay alive in the future.



That aside, this album is excellent. We'll worry about the future later. Right now, it's all about the present, and this is a record any synthpop fan will be spinning for a long time to come."

Great new album -- must buy for synthpop/electronica fans

existenz | Los Angeles, CA | 09/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Last year I happened by chance upon Fr/action's first album, "Crimes of the Future". I'd been looking for something original for quite a while and that album struck a chord. Fast-paced synth, apocalyptic lyrics, track titles that pay homage to 70s crime films -- do I have to say anymore? It was a great debut and provided me with many pulse-pounding hours of synth euphoria.



"Crimes" came out in 2002, didn't receive mass distribution, and had me worried that Fr/action, like other talented but underpublicized artists, would disappear from the scene. Glad to report that they did not. Their new album "Last Man Standing" represents a mature evolution of Fr/action's sound and a killer companion to "Crimes of the Future". Listening to these albums I get transported into a Mad Max future of armaggedon and vigilante justice, all with a unstoppable beat for a backdrop. I'd rank Fr/action right up there with Icon of Coil and Cut.Rate.Box. Also - the "Keoma" samples are classic. Fr/action obviously has good taste in movies.



This is a great album and worth buying. DJs definitely need to play more of this stuff. If you are looking for some futuristic synthpop, order this album today. In fact, order both Fr/action albums. This group's a real find."