Forevatired’s ‘THOSE KIDS NEXT DOOR’ is an acquired taste [Album Review]

At the root of both those bands are avant-garde aesthetic and counter-cultural values. They are also a reimagination of the predominantly pop-themed, pretty boy-culture driven 90’s boy band. They are also a reimagination of contemporary aesthetics of pop music. More than anything, they are also a representation of positively cerebral multidisciplinary unification.

Nigeria has seen bands, but Nigeria is seeing a new band in this 11-man creative piece consisting of the following artists, video producers, graphic designers, studio engineers, product designers and A&R. What binds them is the collective interest in pushing the music and the ability to induce creative psychedelia and stimulate ecstasy.

Members of the collective include Faith, Etienne, Rookie, Faruna, Goldrummachine, Brum3h, Indigo, Pharaoh, Shammah, Pablo Herbs and Rockimonsta. Some of them were already established acts in the Nigerian underground, but their debut album, THOSE KIDS NEXT DOOR represents their first major act.

Judging based on sound and certain lyrical instances, THOSE KIDS NEXT DOOR might seem like yet another morose expression/celebration of cynicism/pessimism and vices by cerebral, maverick Gen Zers and there’s evidence to prove that.

‘West,’ the album intro sees a warped out baritone rap, “Today might be the day I get struck by lightning…” as he paid homage to the late Capital Steez of Pro Era. At different stages on the album are instances that also discuss drug and alcohol use from empirical and personal perspectives as a coping mechanism for pain.

This is not a bad thing - Gen Z and younger millennials are just more expressive to attract each other. More than anything, this is their reality and we should praise them for expressing it with authenticity.

It’s not all negative either. Forevatired discusses positivity in topics like love, party, sex and the highs of life. As much as they sing/rap about alcohol and drugs, they also reject vanity and focus on drive and goals on, ‘Stew.’ The songs opens with, “We don’t really care about girls, don’t care about racks…”

The music is also very Nigerian. Across the album are several Nigerian pop culture totems - be it comical Nollywood cuts or the language of delivery across all the songs or pop culture-related lingo - that is sprinkled across the album.

Also on the positive side, the music is sonically diverse, sonically dense and sonically flexible. This seems either because the collective is large or because these kids are younger millennials or Gen Zers. The world of pop music is moving towards a genre-less reality, where artists will be able to express via any genre that appeals to them - Forevatired represents that reality.

Nonetheless, we've heard something like this before and that’s not a bad thing because nothing is ever completely new. What Forevatired has succeeded in doing is turn the familiar into a blueprint of their own identity as young Nigerians who are introducing themselves as a collective.

But as much as the Nigerian soundscape is evolving with unique listening palettes, one is tempted to say this much might not thrive in Nigeria at face value. In fact, despite the Nigerianism at the root of this album, this band feels perfectly tailored to the sentiments - nigh fetishes - of predominantly African communities in the diaspora.

In fact, the idea of this band seems ready-made for a foreign market. This is also because a band like this has a unique ability to have stans like no other. That’s touring bag secured throughout its existence. Commendably, this band also has the ability to create psychedelia off familiar genres and use symbolism and metaphors to express everyday themes like love, sex and pain.

That said, Gen Z Nigeria is unpredictable. If these guys are adequately marketed to mainstream Gen Z, they could be accepted. Regardless, this writer thinks this band will be marketed towards the diaspora more than Nigeria.

At the end of the day, this music is an acquired taste. If it's for you, you'd think it's great music. If it's not, you'd think it's neo-woke experimental, alternative trash. This is exemplified in the ambient culmination to the intro, ‘West.’ For people like this writer, it’s ambient heaven. But he also sees why certain people will throw it out as ‘garbage.’

Whatever it is, this writer thinks it's good music... Mood music, not music for all seasons. It will only be music for all seasons to weirdos. But then, younger millennials and Gen Z are mostly weird these days. Forevatired is in good company and that 21-minute time limit is impressive.

The two major issues with this album are that it didn’t really come alive until track six and sometimes, its creators fail to properly articulate their thoughts either through a symbolism overkill or clouded expression.

This writer’s favourite song is ‘Stew.’

Ratings: /10

• 0-1.9: Flop

• 2.0-3.9: Near fall

• 4.0-5.9: Average

• 6.0-7.9: Victory

• 8.0-10: Champion

Pulse Rating: /10

7.9 - Victory