Fightstar - Be Human (Deluxe Edition)
The 'star release a deluxe CD/DVD
The first new track to find its way on this shiny, new version of the album is ‘A City On Fire’, released as a download-only single last year. It’s a typical Fightstar track, make no mistake, with a catchy little groove running through it constantly. Go on, dance like nobody’s watching – you know you want to. ‘A City On Fire’ really is genius, which begs the question – why the bloody hell wasn’t it on the original release? When ‘Be Human’ was originally released back in April 2009, many onlookers said the band had 'sold out', or sold their souls, or whatever. A little too harsh maybe, but this sees Fightstar back doing what they do best – all-out ballsy rock. More of this and Fightstar could finally get the acclaim they so rightly deserve.
‘28k Resolution’ – another new one – has itself a nice, steady, driving rhythm with some brilliant pop-inflected moments in the melodies and a curious double intro. The vocals are flawless and still with that underlying, unmistakeable groove. The ending is a little curious too, just sort of... stopping. ‘Give Me The Sky’, found on the original release is a stark contrast to the album so far. The opening bars and lyrics are somewhat ambiguous, followed by a few up-tempo bars that are so reminiscent of The Cure it’s maddening – if only because I can’t quite put my finger on which track it reminds me of. I’ll take a stab at either ‘Friday I’m In Love’ or ‘Mint Car’… Third new track ‘Its Blood Is Black’ is another great offering. Again with that driving rhythm and the by-now-expected groove. I wouldn’t be all that surprised if ‘Its Blood Is Back’ becomes yet another anthem under Fightstar’s collective belts; it’s already proven itself to be a winning live track. Fourth and final new track 'Mvua Nyeusi' has beautiful vocal arrangements, frenetic rhythms and mystifying melodies – it may not be what might expect initially but on further listens there’s something oh-so-familiar about it.
As for the DVD, I’ve always wondered why 'acoustic' meant mood lighting provided by twee-looking table lamps and the band seated. Anyway, they kick things off with ‘Palahniuk’s Laughter’ – a track typically found at the end of their live set. That aside, it’s refreshing to see and hear the track (and indeed the rest of the set) from another perspective. Chances are you’ll probably never hear Fightstar play their songs so stripped down ever again. Typical shows are usually on the loud, heavy and punchy side of things, whereas here they’re much more delicate, especially the likes ‘99’, also featuring cellist Audrey Riley, bringing the true beauty of the song alive. During ‘The English Way’, Charlie calls for the crowd to clap along. They comply but it doesn’t last long; theyseem almost mesmerised. It's no wonder.
The addition of two cover versions split fans, almost right down the middle when they were announced as part of the DVD package. However, ‘Battlefield’ (originally by Jordin Sparks) sounds fresh, with a beautiful melody, and – unsurprisingly – sounds far better than the original. This is followed by ‘Vincent’ (originally by Don McLean) and it’s a gorgeous, delicate rendition that could well reduce you to tears. If you’re a sentimental old fool like myself.
Closing track ‘Cross Out The Stars’ gets the treatment it deserves; whilst it's true to say that fans have called for ‘Cross Out The Stars’ on many a live setlist, it’s also true from this performance alone that it really does only suit an acoustic set like this. It finally gets its chance to breathe and really shine.
Unlike some re-released albums with the almost obligatory bonus DVD, Fightstar seem to have given great thought into this. Instead of the usual bonus track predictablility, the whole album got a shake up, both with the new additions and all-round track reshuffle. I don’t know about you, but when a band says, “Let’s re-release an album”, I find myself thinking, "What on earth for?" and "Ah… so the money’s running out, eh?" Thankfully, that does seem to be what’s going on here. ‘Be Human’ didn’t really get the praise it deserved, so putting it out again, with four added tracks and a bonus DVD, is an idea that's really payed off.
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