Although the band has described this latest album as their rock album, the one where the acoustic guitars were securely locked away for the duration, even when we find It’s Karma It’s Cool in their plugged-in, fired-up, foot-on-the-monitor mode, it is clear that they don’t lose any of the subtle and supple hallmarks of their sound, it’s just that they paint with slighty bigger brush strokes.
That ability to be both big and clever is apparent as soon as the recent single “Crashability” launches things; sure, it has grinding guitar rhythms and driving drums, but it is also shot through with intricate six-string lines, changing time signatures and spoken-word interludes, all topped off by Jim Styring’s mellifluous vocals. This is anything but rock and roll by numbers.
The title track that follows is an even more perfect demonstration of the band’s blend of addictiveness and intricacy, wandering between sonic highs and understated lulls, chiming and charging, searing and serene as it moves through many musical moods.
“Arcades” is lush and hazy, yet big and beat driven, “These Heavy Days” is a masterclass in how indie-rock music stays interesting, (a lesson to those young kids who think that merely churning out Arctic Monkey’s rip off riffs is enough to keep them creatively afloat), and “Paper Tigers” blends some gorgeous, shimmering guitar licks with a full frontal rock and roll onslaught.
What makes these karma kids so cool is that they know brute force isn’t enough. They know how to turn the volume control up to eleven but understand that you then need to mould melodies, hang harmonies, smooth the edges, and create dynamics. And also, use that as a vehicle for poised and poignant lyricism.
By doing all of that, they are able to produce albums that sound less like a collection of songs and more like a greatest hits compilation. That’s how accomplished they are at their job; that’s how great these songs are.
