★★★★
Death as a career option inadvertently worked wonders for American Football – their sole album from 1999 achieved cult status among emo purists, and a run of reunion shows in 2014 sold out within minutes.
A lot rides on their next move – a second LP that follows 17 years after the fact, contrasting between their early-20s malaise and their lives as late-30s adults. Some things remain intact: their unique tunings ringing out by means of bright, warm guitar tones; their zipping in and out of calculated rhythms and pensive, reflective lyricism.
A key element that has developed, however, is Mike Kinsella’s vocals. While entirely fitting the contextual bill on the first LP, he has wisely chosen not to try to replicate them, instead allowing his lilted, slightly pained and matured voice to fill in the gaps. ‘Where Are We Now?’ is a lush, widescreen opener, while ‘I’ve Been So Lost For So Long’ is a top-of-the-range compromise between the band’s past and its present.
Fittingly enough, listening to new music from American Football feels a lot like visiting a former home. Some things aren’t exactly as you left them, but it’s ultimately a welcoming and humbling experience.
American Football’s self-titledAmerican Footballis out now on Wichita.
