Going back to school in a few short weeks? Dreading the imminent stress of it all? The projects, the exams, the dime-a-dozen PowerPoint presentations? Has summer flown by, leaving you with little to proud of in it’s wake? Well, yeah. Sucks to be you.
But, at least, rejoice in the fact that in a few short weeks you will be able to put on Numbers’ Now You Are This as you return from your varied homes back to the chaotic web of life that is the “University Experience”. For, unlike previous recordings of this summer, we finally have an album that perfectly melds with it’s release date.
It is sloppy post-punk - with drums crashing everywhere, people shouting, guitars crunchin’ & distortin’… flailing epically between hopefulness & rejoice to soul-crushing worry. Even the song titles reflect this dichotomy, as the band goes from “Hey Hey Dream” to “I Ripped My Own Heart Out”, or “Everything is Fine” to “What Happened To You”. It is weaved from the less serious (we certainly ain’t talkin’ about a Kronos Quartet requiem or anything here) emotional tapestry that tends to accompany everyday life. And the band brings it all together with the same sense of lo-fi ease that accompanies my memories of classic Eric’s Trip or Sonic Youth.
The band cites some classy Krautrock in their influences, from NEU! to Can & Kraftwerk… and it shows. From the incessant drumming to the electronic, static & moog flourishes, it seems like Numbers wish to reinterpret the extremes of the genre in 3 to 5 minute pop songs. Which is a formidable endeavor. As far as contemporaries go, I’d say check this out if you dig the harmonized female/male vocal combos on The Evens albums but wish that the music behind the voice was a bit less conventional.
All I know, is that I can definitely imagine walking to school come September, listening to “Leila Mila” as the orange leaves fall towards the ground around me. It is a memory I look forward to living.
under a fuzz red sky:
Numbers - Kosmos Love.
Numbers - I Want To Believe.
Now You Are This will be released from Kill Rock Stars on August 21st. You can preorder it over here. It is certainly in your best interest to do your Numbers homework - you never know what kind of treats might be hidden therein.
Recent Retaliations.