EP Review: Fool Me Twice

We are so lucky to have yet another New Zealand band sound like molecules in a jar that bounces pieces of pop, rock and funk all into one. Fool’s Lagoon has a new EP called Fool Me Twice which was recorded in the simplicity of a family home in Eastern Bays, Auckland. Within one year the EP was developed and it is clear Fool’s Lagoon deserves recognition for taking the time to create something special for the New Zealand music scene. Especially because their final collection of songs was only created from makeshift bedroom studios.

We start by listening to Lorem Ipsum which has illuminated layers of vocals that are particularly prominent. Amongst the vocals, there are smooth guitar chords which reflect the band’s talent in embodying a strong rhythm, like it belongs at a hyper-energetic festival. Furthermore, during the bridge, there’s an interesting pause in the rock rhythm to jump into something psychedelic and even something David Bowie would have appreciated. The lyrics speak of the feeling of a void like the song is made to feel like watching the earth from out of space.

The next song Hey opens with a sound that’s reminiscent of watching the loading screen of a video game. It’s the comfort of innocent excitement. There’s a dance-worthy guitar beat that seems to have a little inspiration from Daft Punk and belongs to an 80s dance club. The simplicity of the lyrics provides no detriment to the song it uplifts the beat respectively. I find this is a risk many bands do but struggle to balance effectively.

Misty’s Mystique is the third song on their EP and in my opinion the strongest lyrically. Fools Lagoon show how they can find a focus and describe it in detail. In this case, it is the narrative of a female. At face value, it’s as though they are describing the average Jane as a fascinating woman whose simple life of getting through life is something worth noticing and perhaps viewing as something beautiful. If you take time to listen to the lyrics, there might be a romantic connotation or a female protagonist’s perspective. The descriptions and details of a person’s life are a creative way to evoke emotions, as we know lots of good rock songs reflect.

And finally, Brighter Days has a nice tone and change of pace. It changes into being gentler in comparison to the other songs on the EP. It’s powerfully optimistic in its lyrics and the guitar work specifically builds the brightness of the song.

Overall, we can see how Fool’s Lagoon know how to exercise their musical talents and develop songs into being more than mediocre. I anticipate a full album would have just as much evidence and give further opportunity for the band to develop more.