Annuals

Such Fun

If you distill Modest Mouse elixir with a bit of cream of New Amsterdams and a pinch of Manchester Orchestra extract, you will concoct a rather potent Annuals moonshine. Unfortunately, toting this libation to your next social gathering is a surefire way to send your friends home counting sheep. Unless you get your kicks from the sharp, sudden twitch that hits after realizing you’ve dozed off, the title of the band’s sophomore album will seem like a bit of an exaggeration. “Confessor” is an unmemorable first impression, starting the album with vocal harmonies that repeat ad infinitum. A few minutes later, “Springtime” bursts from the record’s sleepy cocoon, revealing a thunderous pulse with a colorful sing-along chorus. The band make use of their banjo pickin’ and fiddlin’ skills, weaving bluegrass and a little Carolina charm into “Down The Mountain.” Easing in a little pedal steel with a tremendous chorus, “Always Do” is the pinnacle of this record’s minimal momentum; it’s a leisurely stroll past the mediocrity of the album’s second half (with the exception of the bluesy cadence “Hair Don’t Grow”). The foreboding final track “Wake” arranges dreary strings with a bloodcurdling whistle, which genuinely makes us question: What is “such fun” about this record?

ROCKS LIKE:
Manchester Orchestra’s I’m Like a Virgin Losing A Child
Straylight Run’s Straylight Run
The New Amsterdams’ Worse For The Wear

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