We’re honored to present Faster on Fire, an innovative and revitalizing pop punk band from North Carolina!
Credit: Kevin La Chiana
Jon Skinner impresses with lead vocals/strings and keys, while Alex Gabor radiates on drums/vocals. Although it’s mainly just the two of them, the writing duo amplifies their studio and live performances with additional guitarists and bassists. This dynamic has aided in developing an “exciting formula” that they are proud to claim provides a unique experience.
Forming roots in their previous band The Oh Whales, Jon and Alex explain that they were initially “heavily influenced by the 'easy-core' trend a few years ago.” However, the duo decided that they wanted to strengthen and magnify their art by focusing “lyrical content on retrospection rather than what we felt was a little shallow and unfeeling lyrically in The Oh Whales.” I’ve always been drawn to music that tells a story and that has significant depth and a level of profundity; Faster on Fire fits that perfectly.
In 2019, Faster on Fire dropped their debut EP, Lessons Learned, which helped them flourish from simplistic powerpop/pop punk, to something much more compelling. They unquestionably remind me of some of the bands that really attracted me to the music scene. Skinner and Gabor hit the nostalgia mark without feeling stale, and they’ve certainly conquered the mission of honing fresh individuality.
“Can’t Stop Starting” is described as dance-provoking, and I couldn’t define it better. It’s an upbeat, introspective track about being in a cycle of failing to appreciate what you have. You’ll find a lot of honest, self-awareness in FoF’s music. “June Again,” for example, features absolutely addicting instrumentals that deepen the portrayal of holding on to someone, and hoping that you’re not just a memory in the corner of their mind. Skinner and Gabor are such multifaceted artists who highlight their skills beautifully in each song.
Faster on Fire strives to make connections, and “I’ll Never Know” captures that effort with its well written, vulnerable, and heartbreakingly personal message. “Rookie Mistakes” is an acoustic ballad that Skinner says takes “a deep dive into some of the emotion that might typically get glazed over in a ‘one that got away’ track.” Overall, Lessons Learned is a cleverly balanced EP that delivers all you could ask for and more.
“The whole point is exposing what we feel, and people respect that and have responded in incredible ways. Feeling is dynamic, and we have been able to really reflect that in the sadness and anger portrayed in the instrumentation alone.”
Credit: Kevin La Chiana
With Faster on Fire’s new music in progress, they confirm that we’ll receive the same level of alluring profoundness and organic writing. Skinner says, “for the first time probably ever, we truly wrote each track as a pair, rather than an idea being backfilled with the other's ideas. Alex is a wonderful writer, both musically and lyrically, and being able to tap into that in real time resulted in some of the deepest lyrical content and cohesive instrumentation we've ever produced.”
I can't wait to keep tabs on these immersive, visionary artists. We can look forward to more ballads and riff-heavy anthems, including a track to be released in Q2 of 2021. Skinner expresses that they are “really excited about going into the studio with a new production and management team, thanks to FBT.”
Follow Faster on Fire on their socials below to stay updated on this wonderful, emerging band.
Alex Kilgore, Untold Music Promotion
Thanks Alex! Love what you did with the piece!