“The Comeback Kid” by Marnie Stern

An electrifying return for one of rock’s virtuoso guitarists.

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Welcome to a new edition of the Best Music of All Time newsletter!

Today’s music pick is an electrifying return from a lengthy hiatus for one of rock’s virtuoso guitarists.

Genre: Alternative Rock, Math Rock

Label: Joyful Noise

Release Date: November 3, 2023

Vibe: 🎸

There’s something about long breaks between LPs that benefitted several artists in 2023. From Everything But the Girl to Blur, well-known indie voices returned with a lot to say. Add Marnie Stern, the virtuosic rock and noise-pop guitarist, to that list with the aptly-titled The Comeback Kid. It’s a record packed with muscular riffs and fuzzy flourishes that lend an air of controlled chaos to every track.

That said, the album also dazzles with its ability to construct catchy rock melodies that, like on “Believing is Seeing,” positively soar. With an emphasis on finger-tapping and blistering speed, Stern’s techniques recall 80s-era giants like Eddie Van Halen and the New York sound from early-2000s arena headliners like the Strokes. Perhaps the most noticeable difference from her early work is the lighter songwriting touch that she hinted at on her previous full-length outing, The Chronicles of Marnia, but hadn’t fully tapped into that potential. As a lyrical counterpoint to the swirling instrumentation, it really works.

The other personnel deserve a shout out too. Arcade Fire’s Jeremy Gara matches Stern’s intensity step for step on the drums, playing with impressive power and precision (see “Earth Eater” for some of his exemplary work). Ditto for bassist Syd Butler, who’s tasked with the challenge of being the glue that holds a lot of these frenetic rhythms together. Tracks like “Working Memory” prove this isn’t a one-woman showcase, with each player coming together to create several tension-and-release builds that’ll knock you out if you’re not careful. Kudos to Mikey Young as well, who ensures every element has ample space to move freely in the mix.

Overall, Comeback is a record that, following a run in Seth Meyer’s late-night backing band, sounds free and teeming with possibility. During her Reddit AMA, Stern made a point of advising readers “to always try to come to whatever you are making with strong intention! Have things in the back of your mind that you like or are referencing and then let go and go bananas.”

To say she takes her own advice is a significant understatement.

👉 Don’t forget to click the album image to stream the album on your favorite platform 👈