The prospect of a new album after an eight-year gap is a risky one, but it seems that in the case of the Good Life, the time apart has revitalized them. More so than on any of their previous albums, the band seem to be writing and playing as a cohesive unit.
Everybody's Coming Down finds Tim Kasher reprising his themes of uncertainty and disenchantment. As always, he's lost in the 21st century — if you're acquainted with Cursive's Mama, I'm Swollen or Kasher's solo record The Game of Monogamy, these themes will feel familiar. Luckily, Kasher proves he hasn't lost his ability to weave clever and insightful lyrics throughout his compositions, and combined with the musical direction the band has taken, the record manages to make recognizable subjects feel distinctly new.
The band's newly adopted rock aesthetic leads to an array of exciting sonic concoctions: "Everybody" and "Holy Shit" glide and march to a mid-tempo grind; the moody "Diving Bell" and "How Small We Are" sway under murky psychedelic waves; "Skeleton Song" and "Forever Coming Down" not only make some of the record's most surprising twists and turns, but also show off the excellent musicianship this band possesses, especially bassist Stefanie Drootin-Senseney's dynamic bass lines and guitarist Ryan Fox's melodic madness. Everybody's Coming Down feels both focused and purposeful, something not all albums can lay claim to after a band's nearly decade-long absence.
(Saddle Creek)Everybody's Coming Down finds Tim Kasher reprising his themes of uncertainty and disenchantment. As always, he's lost in the 21st century — if you're acquainted with Cursive's Mama, I'm Swollen or Kasher's solo record The Game of Monogamy, these themes will feel familiar. Luckily, Kasher proves he hasn't lost his ability to weave clever and insightful lyrics throughout his compositions, and combined with the musical direction the band has taken, the record manages to make recognizable subjects feel distinctly new.
The band's newly adopted rock aesthetic leads to an array of exciting sonic concoctions: "Everybody" and "Holy Shit" glide and march to a mid-tempo grind; the moody "Diving Bell" and "How Small We Are" sway under murky psychedelic waves; "Skeleton Song" and "Forever Coming Down" not only make some of the record's most surprising twists and turns, but also show off the excellent musicianship this band possesses, especially bassist Stefanie Drootin-Senseney's dynamic bass lines and guitarist Ryan Fox's melodic madness. Everybody's Coming Down feels both focused and purposeful, something not all albums can lay claim to after a band's nearly decade-long absence.
