It takes a very special band to release one album that has the ability to inspire an entire generation. American Football’s beloved album did just that. For 17 years it has been the soundtrack to relationships, romance, break ups, and heartache for many. Even the iconic artwork of a quaint house in Illinois remains one of the most recognisable images in music, and it has a certain magic that would lead to it becoming a cornerstone of indie rock.
Fast-forward to 2014, and American Football would reunite to play sold-out shows in countries around the world; a far cry from the handful parties and club shows they would frequent before breaking up after the albums release. This is a testament to legacy of American Football, and it left people wondering if the time had come for them to finally open the door of the house and continue the story they started in 1999.
When an album is put on such a glowing pedestal as American Football’s, and the news breaks that they are going to release a follow up, you can’t help but have a few questions nagging in the back of your head as to whether or not will have been worth the wait. Will it still work? What if it pales in comparison? What if they can’t recreate that magic that made it so adoring?
The truth of the matter is, that American Football’s second self-titled album sounds exactly how you would expect it to sound; like an American Football album. If you were to say that about any other band, it would be seen as negative comment, but in this case, it is what you want from them. It has the same components as their debut; the warm familiarity, the magic, and it invites you through the door in the most welcoming way.
While vocalist/guitarist Mike Kinsella has been no stranger to our ears in the wake of their debut album, hearing him softly croon his way through ‘Where Are We Now’ over wistful melodies instantly transports you to the first time you heard American Football. It continues with the trademark stop/start, off-kilter rhythm that cruises through ‘My Instincts Are The Enemy’, and the lush textures of ‘Home Is Where The Haunt Is’. It puts you right where you want to be, as if you are back in the arms an old friend or loved one.
The intricacies in the composition that set American Football apart from their peers are still there, and if anything their skills have been honed further with age. It is more musically refined that it’s predecessor, and the songwriting has matured like a fine wine. No longer do they need to rely on the lovelorn, coming of age lyrical content that made up their debut. This time they are more reflective, focusing on self-examination.
The whimsical, self-deprecating, ‘I’ve Been Lost For So Long’ finds Kinsella picking himself apart over complex time signatures from the air-tight rhythm section of Nate Kinsella and Steve Lamos, while ‘Give Me The Gun’ is built around duelling, major-key guitar leads from Kinsella and Steve Holmes in a much more modern fashion. Of course, an American Football album wouldn’t feel right without the inclusion of a melodious trumpet, swirling in and out of the serene ‘I Need A Drink (Or Two, Or Three)’ and ‘Everyone Is Dressed Up’.
We live in a very different time to when American Football first surfaced, and rather than becoming a thing of legend like their debut, this album will not have to wait to be appreciated. It lives up to the expectations that the collective hearts of a generation have longed for, while making 17 years ago feel like just yesterday.
GLEN BUSHELL