ALBUM REVIEW: We Should Be Having Fun – American Teeth
AMERICAN TEETH is the alter ego of Elijah Noll. Hailing from Portland, Maine, but living in Los Angeles, he’s released a handful of songs which have accrued over two million streams so far and have landed him a coveted spot on Alternative Press‘ 100 Artists You Need To Know list. He’s also apparently a cyborg, with a mechanical heart valve that he’s had since he was a teenager to replace a faulty valve that he was born with. His debut album, We Should Be Having Fun, was produced by Colin Brittain, who has worked with respected names like ONE OK ROCK and PAPA ROACH amongst others. Does it live up to the hype?
This album is a fun and energetic one. First song Love Myself is very reminiscent of ONE OK ROCK, albeit more on the electronic side of things. Glue which follows sounds completely different; a synth number that would no doubt fit on mainstream radio. The changing genres would be enough to give anyone whiplash. However, the production is fantastic, so this is not an issue. Furthermore, Glue has such a catchy chorus that will be stuck in your head ‘like glue’.
Things mellow down a little on One Of Those Days. However, it suits the mood of the song, which describes “one of those days” where you just don’t feel like doing anything. There is a hint of rock in the background as one of the lyrics is screamed. The genre-jumping continues with Tongue, which is an acoustic song that demands to played blasting through the speakers. Strangely enough, the pacing of the album is not affected by the different genres; if anything, it benefits from them, leaving the audience wondering what will be next.
Despite sharing its name with a COLDPLAY song, Fix You is very different from that – this one an energetic rock song that demands to be played at a festival. It’s reminiscent of Life Of The Party by ALL TIME LOW, as they’re both party rock anthems, but this one takes the cake as the better and smoother version. If you’re looking for early 00s rock, AMERICAN TEETH has you covered there too. Barred Out is a fun homage to the genre. The tempo of the song is upbeat, and the pacing does not ruin the overall sound of the album. You can hear the elements of PAPA ROACH, but Noll takes the sound and makes it his own.
Kickflip is the typical ‘we’ll be okay’ anthem, but it still feels authentic. It comes from a place of genuine feeling. The song gives AMERICAN TEETH “energy and also makes [him] want to cry.” As Noll explains: “That is the energy I had when [producer] Colin [Brittain] and I were making the track. I was in a low, and I was looking for things to do to help me get out of the rut I was in post-breakup.” The candour continues on Gonna Be Okay, a sombre acoustic song that makes you feel like you’re intruding on a private diary. The album then criss-crosses from electro-pop (Sick) to a radio dance number (Talk) to skittering beats over a pop beat (I’m A Wave) – all of this a good thing.
In conclusion, We Should Be Having Fun is a an album that has a lot of fun. It’s like a kangaroo which hops about everywhere. AMERICAN TEETH places a lot of confidence in his producer, and Brittain delivers with a flawless production job. Crucially, while AMERICAN TEETH has a lot of talent, it’s clear he is just getting started.
Rating: 9/10
We Should Be Having Fun is set for release on October 29th via Fearless Records.
Like AMERICAN TEETH on Facebook.