Hello! 😊👋
Welcome to a new edition of the Best Music of All Time newsletter!
Today’s music pick is a dazzling rock record that dares to deconstruct arena-sized tropes as they’re being used.
Genre: Hard Rock, Noise Rock
Label: Sargent House
Release Date: August 25, 2023
Vibe: 🤘
Over the years, the Armed have erred on the side of mysteriousness. They crafted a profoundly ironic, enigmatic public persona for themselves, even sending actors to do their promotional interviews. That veneer melts away with Perfect Saviors, an arena-sized rock record that trades in careful calculations for some more mainstream rock sensibilities. It sounds like selling out, but it’s not that shameless or, to a degree, even that aspirational. It’s more like a running meta-commentary on everything from capitalism to basketball to the tackiness of fame. But, wait a second—if “making it” as an accomplishment exists merely to be sneered at, then why are these songs so accessible-sounding? Why does this sound like the Armed’s attempt to “make it.” It’s that knowing tug-of-war that makes this album so enjoyable. In a year where the biggest movie of the year insisted on explaining subversion as it was happening, that “parallel tracks” approach shouldn’t be slept on. Based on the buzz the Detroit group generated with Saviors, I imagine you’ll see more bands take their crack at the exact blueprint, though the jury’s out on whether imitators can carry it off this well.
The audible influences here are twisted and churned to sound almost deranged at times without losing their catchiness. The post-punk zeal of “FKA World” is matched by the hardcore swell of “Everything’s Glitter,” a track that, for much of its running time, seems to build and build with no end in sight. “Sport of Form,” featuring an assist from boy genius’ Julien Baker, is all crashing cymbals and spiraling shrieks, interspersed with quieter, introspective moments that present a side to the Armed they’ve never really shown us before. The final two songs take the listening experience in a completely different direction, adding elements like saxophone and dream-pop-style backing vocals that shift the tone from openly cynical to downright spiritual. It’s just a few of the many directions the band takes you in less than 45 minutes without ever sounding anything less than confident and in control. Combine that with the polished production, and you have another record proving rock isn’t as dead as you may think.
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