Dominic Fike’s third album, How to Quit Smoking, finds the singer-songwriter confronting adulthood without losing the restless energy or catchy songwriting that have shaped his work. Distorted guitars, sing-rap vocals and Florida memories remain central to his sound, while the lyrics turn toward sobriety, bad habits and past mistakes.
Now 30 and a father, Fike revisits the loneliness and uncertainty that have surfaced throughout his music. On “Pangea,” he sings about trying not to fall back into old patterns, while “Cabby,” featuring Emma Ogier and Love Spells, finds him acknowledging his flaws. Ogier also appears on “Small Town” with Gabriel Jacoby, and Grace Ives joins him on “Honeylove.”
The album’s songs often move quickly through their ideas. Many are around two minutes long, and tracks such as “Casting Call” hint at Fike’s struggles without dwelling on them. But the concise arrangements are layered and upbeat: “Wallflower” opens with detailed guitar work, “Squeeze” has a bright, buoyant feel, and “White Keys” delivers an immediate hook.
Fike saves the album’s most direct emotional statement for “Spotlight/Inner Child,” which closes the record. The track features Tay-K, who raps from prison, and brings together reflections on growing up, family and feeling disconnected from home. Fike’s final outlook is captured in a line he sings earlier in the song: “Whatever happens, up next, I will do my best.”
Sources: Rolling Stone.