EP Review: Felix Hagan & The Family – Kiss The Misfits
2 min read
For Felix Hagan & The Family, Kiss The Misfits is one of those truly special EPs: fresh yet familiar, taken as a chance to explore a different direction, while still retaining the personal style that defined their previous releases. Just one listen can tell you that they’re beginning to evolve into an even greater ensemble than before.
That doesn’t mean the theatrical aesthetic is completely missing on Kiss The Misfits, with both Eddie Baby and the title track serving equal parts of cabaret and rock; however, there’s a much stronger punk focus than on their previous EP String Up The Entertainer. Nowhere is this more evident than on Chance It In The Fire: The straight punk rock style of the track works particularly well with Hagan’s vocals, and the near total lack of cabaret influences does little to ruin the song. Some Kind Of Hero is another song similarly stripped of cabaret influences, yet not taken in any sort of punk direction. Instead, it mixes dance rhythms and funky basslines with rock-ready guitar and piano, standing stark against the rest of the EP but also standing tall as its defining moment.
Through forging new paths in their music, Felix Hagan & The Family have essentially renewed themselves with Kiss The Misfits. The punk upgrade does wonders for their sound: it’s less of an improvement and more of an equally enjoyable move in a different direction, showing that they refuse to box themselves into a corner. It makes for a thrilling experience and leaves you longing for more.
