What ‘Money Sucks, Friends Rule’ by Dillon Francis Is All About [Album Review]

Last October saw the release of a widely anticipated album from a producer who made his claim to fame from not giving a f@ck or sh!t. Los Angeles native and twenty-seven year old Dillon Francis took a massive leap from releasing only remixes, singles, and EPs by completing a twelve-track album crossing Dillon over as a fool making music into a versatile musician. With Money Sucks, Friends Rule, fans are treated to a sundry selection of both meaningful music (“We Are Impossible” with The Presets) and jocular tunes (“Not Butter”). Maybe the general population may find it difficult to find what makes Dillon and his music tick, but the people who have gone to his shows and bought his records know fundamentally and precisely where the music comes from.

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I can understand that to the average ear, this album appears to be silly. From the chopped artwork, interesting song titles, and overall manner, Dillon Francis presents to audiences the idea that he is a living, breathing meme. Prior to the album, songs like “Bootleg Fireworks (Burnin’ Up)”, “Masta Blasta (THE REBIRTH)”, and “Messages” were accompanied with outrageous music videos that are comically entertaining while mirroring the man’s behavior on social media and the Internet. Whether he is “going von deeper” as DJ Hanzel, making bad music as DJ Rich AF, pushing the rave agenda as Rave Dad, stopping racism as Treva, picking up women as Greg, or getting a new doggy as Becky, Mr. Francis has proven that he can have more fun with five minutes and a cell phone than most people do on an average day. Even his latest video for the first single on the album shows him goofing about with his friends. Anyone who pays attention can see that Dillon Francis is not a rebel clowning around, but a clown who rebels into polar directions for himself and his fan base.

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Much like his previous material, the album presents plenty of tunes for every kind of music fan. If you want to express fist-pumping action while jumping, tune into tracks such as “Set Me Free” with Martin Garrix “What’s That Spell” with TJR, and “Get Low” with DJ Snake. If you want something more calming to listen to on a “Drunk All The Time” with Simon Lord and “Love In The Middle Of A Firefight” with Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco. Even if you want a sublime blend of that, songs like “Hurricane” with Lily Elise and “When We Were Young” with Sultan + Ned Shepard and The Chain Gang Of 1974. It brings together the moombahton-style that made him big, the trap music he followed up with for crazy sets, the electro house he has recently broke into, and the groovy electronica pieces to give us a full idea of what Dillon Francis is fully capable of with some help from some friends. It may not be an album where you step into a mystical journey transcending time and space nor will it be the album that goes quadruple platinum over the year, but MSFR takes its audience from the mundane everyday and into the house party down the block this weekend. If you don’t like the party, then go home.

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