Album Review: Bleachers - 'Bleachers'
Bleachers’ self-titled album defines what Bleachers are as a band, allows their listeners to experience the world in which they built for this release and promises so much more to come from the band in the future.
March 8th sees the release of the new self-titled Bleachers album, and this album is the first since signing to the indie label Dirty Hit. This album explores the foundations of Bleachers as a band, while simultaneously teasing at what we may be able to expect from them further down the line.
The album opens with the lead single ‘Modern Girl,’ and it captures Jack Antonoff’s take on modern life and all that comes with it, as well as all that comes with being so prevalent in the public’s eye. At its root, the track is so open and honest about the vulnerabilities of being human, while Antonoff also reflects on what’s important to him – the band its members individually. ‘Modern Girl’ wouldn’t be out of place on a road trip playlist, or even perhaps on a playlist you listen to while doing everyday tasks in your life.
On reflecting on how Bleachers are a band that so many people may hear without necessarily realising its them, due to their presence on Taylor Swift’s last six albums, Lana Del Rey’s last three albums and St Vincent’s last two albums, Antonoff explained that “the band has become characters you’re hearing all over the world. That’s not really a story anyone’s ever told, but it’s a cool one when you think about it.” It feels as though this is a pivotal point for Bleachers, that they’re taking this moment to define themselves as a band and are establishing what that means for them sonically too.
‘Alma Mater’ is the fifth song of the album, and long-time collaborator Lana Del Rey joins Antonoff on this track. The track has a hazy feeling to it, almost like the way you feel when waking up in the morning after having a good night of sleep. Antonoff explains that “this song is a weird little magic gem where I’m not really sure why all the pieces are coming together, but they are in this really special way to me,” and the track’s listeners may be familiar with this feeling – especially when it comes to something they’re passionate about, watching the things we create take shape is such a rewarding experience.
The sixth track ‘Tiny Moves’ very much feels like an 80s inspired love song, and it captures how “earth-shattering” even the smallest action can become, when made by the person that you love. The track celebrates falling in love with everything someone does, and how someone’s quirks that make them so uniquely them can very quickly become some of our favourite things. ‘Tiny Moves’ feels as though it embodies the thoughts we often have when looking at the person we adore, and it gives a voice to the intense feelings we have for them.
The release of this latest self-titled album promises so many exciting things from Bleachers, and teases at a future full of interesting and well-thought-out releases that are shaped by experiences in Antonoff’s life. Additionally, it lets us catch a glimpse of what goes on behind the curtain and into the world of Bleachers as a band, and in this rare moment where we see the band taking a moment to be vulnerable and define what it means to be them, we’re left with an understanding of how their music not only shapes us, but how it shapes them too.
Words by Bethany Ellis
