Faith No More – “Motherfucker” (SONG REVIEW)

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One of the most accidentally astute critiques I’ve ever heard came not from a professional critic but from a co-worker, back in my service industry days. Speaking on Faith No More’s most popular track, “Epic,” he looked at me and said “the thing I love about Faith No More is that there’s this song, and then there’s literally every other song they’ve ever recorded.”

The implication seems to be that Faith No More have never been easily classifiable – it’s impossible to judge them based on any single song. Fans buying their records expecting to hear more of the pulse pounding proto-rap/rock of “Epic” would instead be met with an avant-garde amalgam of styles, all of which reflect the array of influences that pulled the band in just about every imaginable sonic direction.

And so it is with Faith No More’s latest track, “Motherfucker,” their first in 17 years. Like the rest of their output, it’s not exactly classifiable in any traditional sense: Its droning intro fades into anthemic rock with a blaring solo that feels ripe for the cheers of an adoring stadium crowd. Propelled by the rhythmic intonations of keyboardist Roddy Bottum-and accented by backing vocals from eccentic frontman Mike Patton- “Motherfucker” attempts to make a wide range of statements, but the loudest and clearest of which is, simply, “Faith No More is motherfucking back.”

I’m always a bit skeptical of reunions. Sure, they sound great in theory, and there are plenty of bands I wouldn’t mind seeing mend the fences, but there’s always that voice in the back of my mind that wonders if some things aren’t better left in the past. Suffice it to say, I listened to “Motherfucker” begrudgingly; the implications of this song and its existence are great, and it had a lot of work to do in order to justify itself in my mind. Surprisingly, my jaded cynicism and initial distrust were slowly washed away.

It’s a simple track. Un-complex in its composition, it won me over by being so unabashedly Faith No More. I was worried, at first, that Patton’s unique approach to music and singing that has been showcased in his numerous projects (Mr. Bungle, Tomahawk) over the years would overshadow the other band members’ talents. However, they’ve managed to strike a balance between Patton’s occasionally kooky persona and the band’s more traditional approach. This dichotomy has always been a point of contention among the band, but it also helped them produce some of the most memorable songs of the ’90s. It’s the driving force of Faith No More, and the band seems to have accepted it.

“Motherfucker” doesn’t rank among the band’s finest work. It’s more than a little repetitive (How many times Bottum say “get the motherfucker on the phone”?), but somehow that repetitiveness solidifies their unique brand of non-commercial pop-rock. The implications of this song might be more interesting than the song itself, but it’s a promising sign for the band’s long-awaited return.