It’s a pretty dreary day up here in Minneapolis so I figure it’s a perfect time to buckle down and check out some new music. Let’s start with Broken Record’s ‘I Died Laughing’, shall we?
As soon as “Time Warp” took over my speakers, I was in love. A fuzzy guitar part is enhanced by crystal clear vocals on this opening track which instantly lays out Broken Record’s comforting yet energetic sound. There’s something familiar and nostalgic about this opening track and the overall vibe but there’s also something refreshing about it. This familiar vibe continues into “Full Circle” which brings a bit more raw power to Broken Record’s emo-drenched power-pop sound. Although under two minutes long, this second track packs a punch and had me falling even deeper in love with this band.
As soon as “Time Warp” took over my speakers, I was in love. A fuzzy guitar part is enhanced by crystal clear vocals on this opening track which instantly lays out Broken Record’s comforting yet energetic sound. There’s something familiar and nostalgic about this opening track and the overall vibe but there’s also something refreshing about it. This familiar vibe continues into “Full Circle” which brings a bit more raw power to Broken Record’s emo-drenched power-pop sound. Although under two minutes long, this second track packs a punch and had me falling even deeper in love with this band.
The tenderness in the words continues into “Spring Breakout” but the instrumentation behind the words comes with a little more edge which made this a standout track. You can feel a bit of frustration throughout this track, again, both within the words and the overall vibe of the track. “I don’t want to lose you; I want you gone and forgotten”. I mean, if those lyrics don’t hit you straight to the core, I don’t know what will, and I feel like that line really explains the overall mood of this great song.
Speaking of mood- “Lens” is a beautiful and moody track that followers up “Spring Breakout” perfectly. Whereas I felt there was a bit of a sharp tongue in the words and feeling of “Spring Breakout”, there’s a sense of defeat in “Lens” that is painfully beautiful. One of the longer tracks on this album, I found myself completely lost in the words of this track and, before I knew it, a more upbeat and pop-punk-drenched sound kicked off “Midwest Rhino” and shook me back to reality. Still, with the all-too-real lyrics being in the forefront, there’s something a bit more carefree and bouncy about the beat of this track. I don’t typically note how tracks blend together because, in my mind, each track is, well, a new track, but the way that Broken Record has tied these tracks together and the order in which they put the songs in is really quite genius.
“Muscle Baby” has a completely different vibe than the previous tracks. There’s a sense of darkness in this track and a more sludgy sound coming from the guitars which I was not quite expecting but absolutely loved. Just as soon as I really getting into this darker vibe, the album moved onto “RMA” which brought back the undeniable perfect power-pop sound that Broken Record does so well. Mirroring the attitude in “Spring Breakout”, there’s a sense of snark in the words of this track that I just could not get enough of.
Even though ‘I Died Laughing’ is quickly coming to a close, there’s no stopping Broken Record. “Lawn Boy 2.0” continues to showcase the power behind this band in all of the right ways. Highly emotional without being super sappy or dark, this track had me nodding my head to the infectious beat and ear-wormy bassline with ease. Another longer track on this ten-song album, I found myself just trying to catch the weight of each word as it passed by and that made this track fly by. Before I knew it, the title track, “I Died Laughing” was pumping through my speakers and closing out this album. Although I would have loved this album to end on a super anthemic note, “I Died Laughing” ends this release on a more emotional track. As it faded out, I realized the weight of this final track and how it gave me a sense of comfort while I searched for the words to describe this last song. Sadly, those words never came but, even if they had, I don’t think my words would ever do this final song, this album, this band justice.
My Favorite Track(s): “New Miserable Experience”
For Fans Of: Sensitive Yet Powerful Songs; Emo Tendencies
Mosh-ability: 7 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie laid next to my computer; Autumn slept upstairs
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 7.5 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 8 out of 10
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