When I heard Fiction 20 Down describe themselves as a ‘college rock’ band, I thought I was in for another pale Jack Johnson imitation.  Sure their music is comparable to a Johnson or Donavon Frankenreiter, simply because they create an acoustic sound.  However, a quick listen to “Welcome to the Grassroots” reveals two key differences.  One they are a full band and as a result offer a more robust sound featuring more powerful drumming and bass guitars.  Two, they take a unique approach to music making, namely an open stance on downloading and burning their music.  It’s an attitude that shows a love for music rather than desire for economic compensation, an outlook that comes through in the very first seconds of the album with lyrics like “welcome to the grassroots a movement, we the people choose a declaration for the youth and any else who seek the truth.”  Declaration of Grassroots, the first track and source of these lyrics, is a nice intro but only touches the surface as far as the music is concerned.

Stroke the Fire and Wake Up offer up a more typical sound, but they are well executed and offer up the band’s own unique take on the genre.  Abraham and the Aftermath is an interesting song that blurs the boundaries between the acoustic style and pop.

The band hits a high on Gossip and Gunplay, by far the most addictive song on the album. It features a reggae style guitar riff with a catchy chorus.  I found myself listening to it multiple times in a row during this review and will probably continue to do so.  Another one of my personal favorites was Conclusions, which features a nicely done guitar solo at the end.  It’s just seems to balance the album and keep it from sounding monotonous.

Ultimately, the album does what does well, partially because of an inspired outlook on music and also an undeniable talent.  Any fan of acoustic styled music albeit a bit heavier form of it, would do well to check out Fiction 20 Down after all they “choose to stand alongside the people,” the least we could do is listen to their music.

Gossip-Gunplay

Conclusions

Abraham and the Aftermath