When asked to speak on the upcoming release from the Districts, bandleader Rob Grote described You Know I'm Not Going Anywhere as "a plea to remain the same in the face of constant change, and the certainty of going nowhere fast." On their fourth studio album, the Districts combine some of the best elements from their previous releases to create something honest and original.
The album was made at a time where transition was needed. Grote describes feeling dispirited for reasons both personal and professional, and faced with anxiety when left contemplating the current state of the world. Working on You Know I'm Not Going Anywhere was used as a source of escape.
The album goes in all sorts of directions, but in a way that feels calculated rather than careless. It opens with the haunting, reverberating melody of "My Only Ghost," followed by the light, euphoric folk song "Hey Jo." The Districts latch onto some post-punk energy in the tumultuous track "Cheap Regrets," and "Velour and Velcro" features the band in an indie pop mindset, with one of their catchiest choruses yet. In the closing song, "4th of July," Grote's voice becomes a blend of Thom Yorke and Bon Iver over an acoustic guitar fingerstyle pattern.
The Districts leave their comfort zone on You Know I'm Not Going Anywhere but yield results that are almost always fun and engaging. As a project with transition and discovery at its core, You Know I'm Not Going Anywhere nonetheless feels rooted in authenticity.
(Fat Possum)The album was made at a time where transition was needed. Grote describes feeling dispirited for reasons both personal and professional, and faced with anxiety when left contemplating the current state of the world. Working on You Know I'm Not Going Anywhere was used as a source of escape.
The album goes in all sorts of directions, but in a way that feels calculated rather than careless. It opens with the haunting, reverberating melody of "My Only Ghost," followed by the light, euphoric folk song "Hey Jo." The Districts latch onto some post-punk energy in the tumultuous track "Cheap Regrets," and "Velour and Velcro" features the band in an indie pop mindset, with one of their catchiest choruses yet. In the closing song, "4th of July," Grote's voice becomes a blend of Thom Yorke and Bon Iver over an acoustic guitar fingerstyle pattern.
The Districts leave their comfort zone on You Know I'm Not Going Anywhere but yield results that are almost always fun and engaging. As a project with transition and discovery at its core, You Know I'm Not Going Anywhere nonetheless feels rooted in authenticity.