Florida Man – Tropical Depression

“Florida Man Shooting at Target in Backyard Hits Neighbor Sitting at Dining Room Table”
“Florida Man Denies Syringes Found in Rectum Are His”
“Florida Man Accused of Luring Kids Tells Cops He Can't Recall As He 'Drinks 18-20 Beers' Before Talking to Children”
“Florida Man Thought He'd Do Donuts on the Airport Runway. Police Were Not Amused.”

These are just four examples about the internet’s favourite superhero “Florida Man” that were released in January 2019 alone. There is a lot more – one more outrageous than the other. It’s no surprise that trying to find input on Charleston, SC’s most exciting new band of the same name is quite a pain in the ass. However, it is worth it. Because you don’t just get to chuckle at headlines like “Florida Man Arrested For Throwing Alligator Into Wendy’s Drive-Thru”, but you’ll also find a hardcore-noise-punk band that’ll make you start a moshpit in your office chair.

Florida Man are a four-piece band with a classic punk lineup: one singer, one guitar, one bass, one drummer. Their music is a mixture of Converge and Fugazi with a sprinkle of Shai Hulud on top. Their sound is really refreshing, them being as uncompromising and hard as their fellow new hardcore acts, but without the darkness and negativity – which might be partially the artwork’s doing. The lyrics are in stark juxtaposition to the sunshiny vibe coming through the speakers, creating a tension that makes this album so worthwhile. In fact, the title “Tropical Depression” is probably the best title they could’ve given this masterpiece of opposites.

Their label Spartan Records describes “Tropical Depression” as “one of the year’s most uncompromising and cathartic releases”, and they couldn’t be more right. Especially “Conviction” and “Life Insurance” will be a part of my playlist for the foreseeable future, and they should be on yours, too. It's a shame punk albums like this are generally so short, but keep your eyes out for this band. They will hopefully release new material soon-ish, and they will definitely take off.

This album is highly recommended for fans of bands like the aforementioned Converge, Shai Hulud, or Fugazi, and similar acts