“Come along children. Now we’re going to have a little music.”
The first track from Atlanta-based crunk band, “Cadillac Phunque”, starts with an appropriate line from Soul Glow Activator, the lead singer of Family Force 5. In fact, in “Wake the Dead”, a song from their latest record, Dance or Die, says, “If it’s too loud, well then you must be too old!”
Family Force 5 begun as The Brothers, a trio of brothers Solomon (Soul Glow Activator), Jacob (Crouton) and Joshua (Phatty) Olds. They released 2 albums on Star Song Records in 1994 and 1995, respectively. After a couple different bands, including Ground Noise, called by the brothers “a really bad version of Third Day,” they became The Phamily.
Forced to come up with a new name due to complications with copyright issues with Prince’s band The Family, the Olds, joined by Nathan “Nadaddy” Currin and Derek “Chap Stique” Mount, chose Family Force 5 and searched for a record deal. They eventually signed a dual recording deal with Maverick Records and Gotee Records for distribution to both mainstream and Christian markets. They released Business Up Front/Party in the Back in 2006.
It is a great album. From the opening craziness in “Cadillac Phunque”, the pure hard rock of “Love Addict”, the sincere honesty of “Replace Me”, the club theme in “Lose Urself”, and the pure dancing theme of “Numb,” Business Up Front/Party in the Back might be my favorite album of all-time.
The next year, the band released Business Up Front/Party in the Back (Diamond Edition) with three new songs: “I Love You to Death”, “Face Down”, and “Never Let Me Go.” With these three tracks, the band was more willing to show their faith. “Never Let Me Go” is a song about God never letting go of us, always protecting us. “I Love You to Death” is a drum-propelled song that talks about loving God so much that “sure I’d give it up, even the show biz, just to prove how much you mean to me.”
In the meantime, Family Force 5 toured all over in support of their album. Music videos were made for “Kountry Gentleman”, “Love Addict”, and “Never Let Me Go.”
In 2008, the 5 released their sophomore album Dance or Die. It is one of the best CDs I have heard in a long time. Songs such as “Get Your Back Off the Wall”, “Rip It Up” and “Dance or Die” encourage you to move your body. “How in the World” and “The First Time” are the first love songs that the band has ever produced, and they’re great. “D-I-E 4 Y-O-U” is a flashback to Business Up Front/Party in the Back because of the guitar riffs to begin and the sacrificial message of love like “I Love You to Death.” “Wake the Dead” and “Fever” are hard rock songs that again have spiritual connections. “Fever” could be a reference to the SNL skit “More Cowbell,” in which Christopher Walken says, “I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.” But in the song, Soul Glow Activator tells us that he has a fever for something bigger. In “Wake the Dead,” the band attempts to wake up the spiritually dead. “Party Foul” describes a guy who is gonna get himself kicked out of a party unless he backs off. “Share It With Me” is probably the first somewhat-sad song from the band, but it is still a great track. “Radiator” is the only weak track on the album.
I have about four favorite bands: Relient K, Family Force 5, FM Static, and Casting Crowns. Relient K and FM Static is the best music that describes me; it’s basically my music, the kind of music I would make if I made music. Casting Crowns is my praise music. Family Force 5 is my crazy music; the music that I listen to when I feel crazy or down, it pumps me up. That’s why Family Force 5 means so much to me. I’m just surprised that these tracks aren’t on mainstream radio yet.
Coming soon: a review of Jonas Brothers’ new album A Little Bit Longer
