The track is over six minutes long, resulting in a successful mix of dark cabaret, dark wave, post-punk and folk. ‘FAKE’ is more of a power ballad than the preceding singles that Cummings has shared from the album, ‘I’m Not Crazy’ and ‘My God’, due to its highly climactic chorus, operatic vocals and the track’s steady build-up of tension.
‘FAKE’ is lyrically clever too, with lines like “It’s all my fault / For being at home, when I should have been away / I should have been away” are standouts. The use of repetition creates a haunting sound, one that plays into the gothic undertones of the track effortlessly.
At times, Cummings performs the song solely as an actress, but given her lead roles in the psychological thriller play, Berlin, and Australian punk-rock musical, Prehistoric, this doesn’t come as a shock. Nor is this a bad thing - it exposes the emotional intent behind every lyric, ultimately revealing Cummings’ inner consciousness whilst emphasising the emotional theatricality which sits at the track’s core.
Cummings has created something of a masterclass in cabaret-esque, post-punk music-making with ‘FAKE’. The track has echoes of Paris Paloma and Charlotte OC but also whispers of Liza Minnelli and Peggy Lee. A spell-bindingly delightful listen!
Cory Gourley
Image: Jeff Anderson Jr.
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