The Lawrence Arms – Metropole
Epitaph, 2014
I was already a fan of the Lawrence Arms when their fourth
album—2003’s The Greatest Story Ever Told—was
released, but the liner notes on that album made me a true believer. The lyrics
were annotated with a hundred corresponding footnotes that illustrated the
beautiful marriage of intelligence and lowbrow humor that has always made this
band so compelling. Fart jokes next to thoughtful analysis of Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita, etc. It was
wonderful.
Eleven years later the Lawrence Arms are still just as lewd
and still just as smart. The tug of war between Chris McCaughan’s sensitive
croon and Brendan Kelly’s gravely bark is maybe the best it has ever been and
though the band’s last release was a juvenilely titled Buttsweat & Tears (brilliant), Metropole tackles growing old with grace, big city livin', mortality, drinkin’, and
beautiful things. There’s also a track called “Paradise Shitty” which sounds
haha but is actually the most moving track on the record. “I’m so alive/ I’m so
afraid/ That I’m wasting what’s left of these days,” Brendan Kelly sings,
injecting his cigarette addled whisky soaked vocal chords with more sensitivity
than ever.
The Lawrence Arms continue to stay true to their Midwestern
roots, which makes Metropole sound
both humble and huge at once. There’s a landlocked charm that haunts these
songs. There’s also a song called “Drunken Tweets” where Brendan Kelly extols the
virtues of the phrase “FUCK YOU” (which provides stark contrast to the aforementioned sensitive jam “Paradise
Shitty”). The Larry Arms haven’t made any great strides in their overall sound
over the year, but album after album they seem to mature a little bit more. Get
better with age. Metropole is their
tightest album to date and manages to sound accomplished without sacrificing
the childlike joy (and straight up childishness) that makes the group such a
joy to imbibe.
"Beautiful Things"
"Paradise Shitty"
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