Review Summary: delicate past
How do you follow up perfection? American Football seems to ignore this question altogether with their newest self-titled release. That’s because it doesn’t feel like they are trying to follow anything up. In fact, the entire album sounds like a band that is very comfortable with their own sound, a group of musicians that genuinely want to write and perform songs they are proud of.
Still, this leads into another question, how do you follow up a solidified legacy? American Football could be described as one of the most influential bands within the scene of emo music. In fact, almost every emo revival band today seems to either directly attempt to recreate the twinkly, emotional sound or cites the band as a major influence to their music. This legacy is, in all honesty, due to the limited amount of material the band released in their short tenure. When the news came out that they would be releasing another album, the general feel of skepticism was far from unwarranted. Nevertheless, they released LP2 and for what it is, it’s the perfect follow up.
The album opens up with a soft and distant twinkly guitar, solidifying the idea that American Football is still the band it was in 1999. Mike Kinsella enters shortly afterwards and although there is a noticeable difference in his pitch and style of singing, the change is welcome as he smoothly croons into the melodic atmosphere, producing a chill-inducing soundscape for any fan. American Football play into their strengths on this record, and despite the fact that it could’ve easily turned into another Owen album, it’s able to set itself apart distinctly. The band relies heavily on breathing room and atmosphere, much like their first LP, while also pushing this sound into more intense territories. ‘Born to Lose’ is a fantastic example as the track winds its way through twinkly melodies for the first three minutes of the song with Kinsella leading the way. Eventually, the song pauses shortly and Kinsella drops out of the picture, letting an Honestly? -esque guitar riff power through, creating one of the most climactic moments on the album.
American Football doesn’t ignore its past life-aesthetic, however, even though it’s been 17 years of growing up and living normal lives for the members of the band. Longing, heartbreak, and teen angst are all captured in many different ways on this record, yet these themes are mostly examined with a nostalgic lens. “Home is where the haunt is…” Kinsella pens, obviously reminiscing about his 1999-self he follows the line up with, “the past still present tense”. Yet the present can’t be ignored, as a blatant attempt to purely recreate these feelings would be seen as fake or insincere. On ‘I Need a Drink (or Two or Three)’ Kinsella brings up subjects like his marriage and just everyday boredom that comes with being in your late 30s. The song itself is gorgeously composed and features the much needed inclusion of a melodic, atmospheric trumpet. Yet, the true beauty comes in the closing minute of the track as Kinsella overlays multiple vocal melodies, producing a haunting yet incredible moment of serenity. The album itself is naturally able to capture many of these instances, making the full listen-through an interesting, unpredictable, yet enjoyable experience.
Two incredible highlights on this album, other than the ones previously mentioned, are the closing tracks ‘Desire Gets in the Way’ and ‘Everyone is Dressed Up’. The former is probably the most upbeat song on the entire album, as the track opens with a twinkly-jam influenced rhythmic riff. The tone that is set carries through the rest of the track and the catchy guitar melodies are complimented with Kinsella’s now more urgent, passionate vocals. The faux-bridge after the first two minutes of the track turns into an instrumental, math rock influenced sound the band is classically known for. The closing track, however, might be the pinnacle of the entire album. The lyrical content touched summarizes the overarching themes perfectly, “wild nights when we were younger, we thought we’d live forever, at least we’ll die together”. The track also jams in all the elements American Football is loved for; melodic trumpet lines, soaring melodies, subdued yet fluttering guitars, and a peaceful fade out ending. With the soft yet abrupt ending to the album you are beckoned to listen again as if the nostalgic drenched atmosphere was an addictive drug.
It's hard to delve into the flaws of the album, although there are some obvious ones (‘I’ve Been Lost for So Long’ as a glaring example), because the album does just enough things correctly, proving the band’s staying power and ability to follow up a nearly perfect album. The best part about that legacy is that no one expected them to top the first album, and neither did the band themselves. LP2 is rooted in reality, an album that’s all grown up yet very aware of its past, and while the “one and done” ideal is now ruined, a sense of closure has finally been provided.
