Album Review: American Football - ‘LP4’
Musically astute and effortlessly emotive emo legends American Football debut their most theatrical and moving compositions to date.
From facilitating the creation of the very genre they preside within, to becoming one of many excellent groups in the space, American Football have been consistently fantastic since their inception. With their twinkly yet earth-shattering guitar riffs and misplaced jazz drumming, they took over not only the Midwest but the world and even scored a collaboration pair of slip-on vans along the way. ‘’LP4’’ is a drastic extension of the band’s soul; it is without question their most dramatic and emotive yet, functioning more as a vessel for emotional progression, uttering a thousand words without actually saying any. This album, like each of its predecessors, is wild, creative, and densely packed with layered riffs and musical expertise. It’s almost difficult to put into words (which I understand is deeply ironic) the way that this album affects you; it’s deeper than just the music, instead presenting itself more as a piece of art, and if there has ever been an album or a band that is museum-worthy, it’s these guys.
The album starts elegantly, as most of theirs do, with ‘Man Overboard’; this cinematic intro sequence lifts you out of your seat and into your headphones before the drums can even get started. Soundscapes have always been a very large part of the experience for an American Football album, but this one is a cut above the rest. It’s a really thin line to walk between a well-made soundscape and an overproduced finished product, but the needle falls directly on the impressive side yet again for them. The drumming in this song is motion-sickness-inducing, it’s sporadic and tidal, yet it conforms perfectly to the aim of the track and grasps the momentum of the song with both hands. This cinematic swell carries through the entire album as it pushes onwards through its lengthy tracks, and we are gifted some other truly sensational experiences. While this album is most definitely best listened to in solace and in one sitting, there are tracks that can be picked out and appreciated on their own without feeling out of place, one of these tracks is number 2 in the 10-track running order and the most recent single ‘No Feeling’ with Turnstiles Brendan Yates. This is, without question, the most ethereal and vast sound that American Football has cultivated to date. This song takes its time at every layer, allowing for emphatic swells and floaty riffs to couple with the otherworldly vocal performances from both Yates and Kinsella, both of which are guaranteed to stand the test of time and one day become an emo classic that will be isolated in a million TikToks. The remainder of the first half of the album contains even more musical brilliance, and the deeper cuts act more like a silent film than they do songs. There are lots of very instrument-heavy sections in these tracks, as there usually are; for instance, the debut single ‘Bad Moons’ and track number 5 ‘The One with the Piano’ are full of these emotive and lengthy pieces that are truly emotionally moving and powerful. This is something that the band have always thrived doing, and I think this album might be the absolute best example of this. The latter acts as somewhat of an interlude, bridging the gap between the middle and end, but it also stands completely on its own as an honest and raw piece.
After crossing the jazz-laden bridge of the aforementioned ‘The One With The Piano’, which in fact contains just as much trumpet a sit does piano, the needle falls, and the B-side starts turning. None of the tracks from the second half of the album were released as singles, and while this is understandable, it does not detract from the quality of the songs. The second half of the album is where the band get entrenched in the process and the flow of the music. Everything feels like it has an element of risk attached to its familiarity, its daring and obscure in a way that remains intriguing while still sitting on the edge of the familiar. ‘Wake Her Up’ and ‘Desdemona’ are a perfect flow of this; they blend seamlessly while still keeping their individual identity. Both tracks contain a plethora of time changes and rogue instruments, with the trumpet in the former being an absolute all-time performance for them. The latter contains a blend of off-key notes and some slow-moving yet transcendental, classically twinkly riffs that make you feel right at home while still branching out and keeping things interesting. As the album draws to a close, we get another short-lived yet beautifully crafted interlude, ‘Lullaby’, and the name suits perfectly. It remains dulcet and relaxed and adds in what sounds like a xylophone; it's gentle, calming, and homelike, it sounds like being carried from the car to your bed at 7 years old. That’s one thing that this album does extremely well: it makes you experience memories and parts of your life as the notes unfold, and it truly feels like the soundtrack to a flashback. The album closer ‘No Soul to Save’ pulls all the elements of the previous songs together and works them into one smooth-running, slightly jovial track that contrasts brilliantly with its themes and lyrics of shame and wanting to cower from the world for fear of being seen a bit too clearly. This track encapsulates how the band have operated for years and does so in the pocket the entire time, every note is in the right place and creates a water-tight and truly awe-inspiring.
‘LP4’ is another masterclass in a long line of masterclasses, and with a world tour on the horizon, the translation from studio to stage is bound to be mesmerising and truly unmissable. This band has been there for the birth of the genre and continues to support it from the roots to the top to this day, and for them to continue releasing music that rivals their first album is something I feel very honoured to be able to witness, so when they come knocking, make sure you buy tickets, just double-check they aren’t for the NFL.
Words by Josh Pook
