American Pleasure Club - F***ing Bliss Review

When you pull up music to listen to, what do you expect to hear? In the vast majority of cases, it is typically a band plugging away at a melody to a syncopated rhythm. Some genres employ certain intricacies to their percussion, their pacing, lyrical themes, etc. Songs may have an ambient noise in the background, but often the listener may not even notice it due to the presence of the rest of the elements. So what happens when an album is released with this on the forefront?

Enter F***ing Bliss. American Pleasure Club, formerly known as Teen Suicide, (you can imagine why they changed their name) released this record in April of 2019, a long shot from the typical emo/alternative sound that the act has released over the years. Some may go as far as to say that some songs in this record, such as “ban this book” and “the miserable vision”, do not qualify as music, since they lack semblance of melody, and, instead, incorporate percussive aggression.

I am here to say otherwise, as I find F***ing Bliss engrossing, especially when you learn the backstory behind it. Sam Ray, who was responsible for the full recording (sans mastering) over a tight 9-day schedule, intended this album to be his last in 2015. He mentions being in “a horrifying, awful time”, and one can feel this sentiment throughout every second of this harrowing album. Irregardless, I am thrilled that Sam pulled through this dark phase and continued a compelling career in music.

Where one may consider this “background music”, I think otherwise. This is an exemplification of the human emotion, representing despair and hopelessness in the manner of violent percussion and alarming, persistent noise. Some songs, such as “it’s everything to me” and “let it go out”, broadcast a shy, distant mood, where “faith” and “hello grace” utilize melody to display acceptance and certainty. As such, more is conveyed with instrumentation and production than could be said with words.

Speaking of words, the vocal production on this record is top-notch. What Sam does in each song differs, from the haunting backdrop of “it’s everything to me” to the heavily-autotuned “dragged around the lawn”, the delivery of the vocals are unconventional and are there to add to the complexity of each track. While one can make out the words, it’s more in the distribution of the words that adds to the song. Sam sings quite normally in comparison in American Pleasure Club’s other efforts, but these changes would be welcome in future releases.

Reviewing F***ing Bliss is a challenge, as the interpretation of the music is largely subjective, due to its obscure appearance. Some songs could sit comfortably in a sleep playlist, and others are fit for frightening Halloween music. Nevertheless, it is truly an experience to listen to F***ing Bliss from front to back, as one person could love its variety, where another would detest the compositional risks it took. I am curious to hear what you think about this divisive record. Sound off in the comments below what you think of it!