I am, at best, a reluctant runner. If you find me on the treadmill at Blomquist Recreation Center, chances are I’m watching a music video for some upbeat pop song with a grimace on my face.
Recently, I’ve had “Don’t Take the Money” by Bleachers on repeat near the end of my runs. Its fast-paced, funky and bright energy sometimes coaxes a smile onto my face.
I was hoping that “everyone for ten minutes,” the indie rock band’s new album released Friday, would provide a song, or even multiple tracks, with that same energy. I found myself disappointed.
It feels like the band is searching for the perfect balance between zany instrumentals and tried-and-true pop formulas. Unfortunately, most of the songs ended up unpleasantly eccentric and incohesive. Every song seemed to have potential, but inevitably fell short in some way.
The album’s first two tracks, “sideways” and “the van,” both have enticing melodies and beats, but fail to do anything special with them. The lyrics of “sideways” reflect on a tumultuous relationship while “the van” discusses the nostalgia of growing up, but neither boast any particularly insightful musings.
“take you out tonight” is a microcosm of the whole project — way too much happening in a singular song. An organ plays during the intro while a heavily autotuned voice croons nonsensical lyrics over top, with other instruments providing brief cameos.
The chorus, at least, is quite catchy, with at least one cogent message: “‘Cause it’s brutal to be uptight / In the face of such a beautiful life.”
At the end of the song, a breakneck drum pace leads straight into an abrupt ending. While the song shows some flashes of brilliance, it feels too disjointed to fully deliver.
One of the album’s best tracks evokes melancholy. “dancing” is driven by an emphatic guitar strum, and the production is incredibly simple compared to the rest of the album. However, the song’s lyrics are irritatingly repetitive. The intro repeats “Do you think about it when you think about it?” four times in a row. If anyone can figure out what that means, please let me know.
“upstairs at els” closes out the album on a high note, at least compared to the rest of the mediocre tracklist. It’s a sweet tribute to Electric Lady Studios, where Bleachers frontman Jack Antonoff frequently records and works. It also reflects on the importance of friendship, and even closes out with a reminder that “You’re not at it alone.”
My first notes on the tracks of “everyone for ten minutes” ranged from “awful” to “fine.” While the album grew on me the more I listened, I certainly haven’t found a new soundtrack for my treadmill sessions.
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