It’s been years since Fake Problems has been regularly active, but it hasn’t kept Chris Farren from finding other outlets for his bubbly power-pop songs. First came Antarctigo Vespucci, a collaboration between Farren and Jeff Rosenstock, and then a Christmas album that saw the likes of AJJ’s Sean Bonnette and Arrested Development’s Mae Whitman contributing vocals to the record. Now, Farren is announcing his first proper solo album, Can’t Die, which will be released on September 2 via Side One Dummy Records, a label that Fake Problems once called home.
The A.V. Club is premiering ”Say U Want Me,” the first song from Can’t Die, which sees Farren‘s humor on full display. The song is pure power-pop goodness, but as the brains behind those goofy Smiths t-shirts as well as a Twitter presence that mines faux-arrogance for limitless laughs, the video for “Say U Want Me” shows all the disaster that befalls Farren when being so insular. Directed by Clay Tatum of the comedy troupe Powerviolence, the video for “Say U Want Me” is a joyous take on Farren’s carefree ebullience.
Pre-orders for Can’t Die are available now.