These two weeks have been busy as heck at work but i've managed to squeeze in a couple of listens to the new Akron/Family album that leaked last month. At first i was completely thrown off but i was expecting that as its been the case with any Akak album i've listened to. As always the record seemed all over the place at first, varying from simple folky melodies and chanting to weird loops and rocking freakouts. But there are differences in their sound from Love Is Simple, some distinct and some a little subtler. Of course, Ryan Vanderhoof's departure has made them a trio, but there has also been a notable shift in the sound of some of the songs to a more produced, dare i say more 'progressive' sound. For example the opener Everyone Is Guilty still has their trademark sounds, energy and group vocals but from the start the rhythm runs on in a way different from any other Akron/Family song i've heard before. There's definitely a new, different vibe from them, but it's awesoommmeeee. The thing i love most about them is probably that they sound like nothing else, and they seldom sound like they're repeating themselves either. And that they often come up with moments of such happiness that you feel like running out of the house and dancing in the rain. Like in They Will Appear which starts out with a quiet, simple melody being repeated before turning into a joyous, rocking celebration with them chanting the line 'they will appear, behold' over and over. It feels perfectly natural yet so unique and strange at the same time. Like how the horns explode in Sun Will Shine, or in the folky beauty of River and Set 'Em Free, or the weirdness of Creatures. And a perfect closer in Last Year too.
This album is definitely a grower and i've got a feeling it'll continue to grow on me. The album's so rich and dense with detail and variety that i'm looking forward to hearing something new with every listen.
Akron/Family - River /
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