•
Rating:
THE REVIEW
If Post-Nothing was a dive into the '80s noise-rock à-la Dinosaur Jr and Celebration Rock reminded of the glory of bands like Superchunk, with their new album, Japandroids aim to learn only from themselves. And this time, they succeed excellently, producing, in the opinion of this writer, their masterpiece.
There are still eight songs and under 40 minutes, the perfect formula for an album according to Japandroids.
If the singles "Near To The Wild Heart Of Life" (a line taken from Joyce's autobiographical novel, Dedalus) and "No Known Drink Or Drug" made us think of a Celebration Rock vol.2, the rest of the album's songs present the Vancouver duo in an unprecedented guise (as far as this is possible for their music).
"North East South West" is the first of these eight tracks to introduce them in a new form. An acoustic ballad that opens in the final chorus into an anthem about travel, showcasing all the road covered by this Vancouver duo and all the drinking under "scarlet fire skies." Bruce Springsteen would be proud of this song. The next two tracks could be seen as a single, grand declaration of love. "True Love And A Free Life Of Free Will" is perhaps the most romantic piece written by Brian King in Japandroids' decade-long career. This piece, accompanied by "I'm Sorry (For Not Finding You Sooner)," is no longer aimed, as in the two previous albums, at an ideal woman with indefinite traits who made us get drunk and travel aimlessly. When Brian King writes these tracks, he thinks of his new Mexican girlfriend, and it shows.
"Arc Of Bar," the longest track on the album, brings a new level of epicness for Japandroids, with a synth accompanying the duo on a journey in an undefined land between the USA and Mexico, indeed. It is certainly the peak of this album.
Everything closes with "In A Body Like A Grave." The last ballad of the album, in the face of all life's difficulties, this piece is a heartfelt plea not to lose heart and to always be happy. Or at least try.
Loading comments slowly
Summary by Bot
Japandroids' latest album Near To The Wild Heart Of Life marks a confident step forward, showcasing their unique sound with emotional depth and fresh musical elements. The album's eight tracks blend acoustic ballads, epic anthems, and heartfelt lyrics inspired by personal experiences. It delivers a new, matured side of the Vancouver duo, praised as their best work yet. Songs like 'North East South West' and 'Arc Of Bar' highlight the band's growth and adventurous spirit.Tracklist
Japandroids
Japandroids are a Canadian rock duo from Vancouver, formed in 2006 by Brian King (guitar, vocals) and David Prowse (drums, vocals). Known for high-energy indie/garage/noise rock and shout-along anthems, they released Post-Nothing (2009), Celebration Rock (2012), and Near to the Wild Heart of Life (2017), plus the live album Massey Fucking Hall (2020).03 Reviews
