Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal (What's Your Rupture?)

After their startling debut, Light Up Gold, and the puzzling Tally All the Things That You Broke EP that followed, Parquet Courts are back with their second full length Sunbathing Animal.

The distinctive talk singing and artful lyrics of Andrew Savage and Austin Brown are in full effect from the opener “Bodies,” as is their emblematic dual guitar attack on tracks like “Black and White, ” “What Color is Blood,” and title track “Sunbathing Animal.” Sean Yeaton and Max Savage do a phenomenal job of keeping things on the rails throughout, providing the perfect foundation for the bands numerous extended passages and erratic song structures (for erratic see: “Vienna II”).

“She’s Rollin” and “Duckin and Dodgin” are high points, both representative of the band’s ambition to continue to move rock music forward while keeping their quasi-classic rock skews intact. “Dear Ramona,” “Up All Night,” and “Instant Disassembly” add some needed respite from the faster paced tunes on the record – there are many.

“Always Back in Town” doesn’t work at all, feeling a bit too personal/straightforward/formulaic to be a worthy Parquet Courts jam and closer “Into the Garden,” could have possibly been better suited as the album’s opening cut.

All in all, Sunbathing Animal is a primo second LP, adding to a soon-to-be (if not already) influential discography.

What’s Your Rupture?