The now New York trio of frontman and songwriter Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio and Chris Tomson return with a fifth LP and the first since 2019, a clever, often self-referential collection of engaging art pop that echoes familiar styles with the new. The overriding themes are history, musical legacy and, broadly, where ‘we’ are now, politically and socially, but also the music industry. Koenig produced the album with Ariel Rechtshaid. The title, and cover art, comes from a newspaper headline featured in a 1988 photograph by Steven Siegel on the New York subway train, a work at that time called Subway Dream 11. Opener Ice Cream Piano opens with an angry restlessness (“Fuck the world, you said it quiet”) but morphs into catchy, familiar territory with a wordplay on the band’s name: “We’re all the sons and daughters/Of vampires who drained the old world’s necks.” Lead single Capricorn has simple undeniably beautiful melody. The album is a gallery of appealing indie-art-pop styles, from the perky, acoustic-led Classical to wistful, jazzy double-bass and catchy, nimble synth riffs on Connect, the more indie rock Prep-School Gangsters or another standout single, Gen-X Cops with Koenig’s high, swooping vocals atop nimble, fuzzy guitar riffs. This is all very fine, familiar, cleverly crafted territory. Yet the final, and longest track, Hope, goes somewhere new, on a slower journey, taking in brass, piano, more searching guitar solos, and lyrics that are filled with rage, melancholy, and yet also the titular, tender hope: “The embassy’s abandoned now/The flag that flew is on the ground/The painting burned, the statue drowned … I hope you let it go.” A rich, rewarding, playful release with much to unpack, from a talented songwriter and musicians. Out on Columbia Records.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Feel free to recommend more new albums and comment below. You can also use the contact page, or find more on social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.
Song Bar is non-profit and is simply about sharing great music. We don’t do clickbait or advertisements. Please make any donation to help keep the Bar running: