ALBUM REVIEW: Gloom Division – I Don’t Know How But They Found Me
It’s been four years since Razzmatazz, the debut album by I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME. It was a fun offering from Dallon Weekes, formerly of PANIC! AT THE DISCO, which showed that he may have been the talent that made PANIC! tick and so enjoyable before Brendan Urie decided to make the band all about himself, and now he’s back with a brand new album. Gloom Division is a record full to the brim of infectious indie pop/emo bangers that show that Weekes is at the top of his game by being able to combine dark lyrics with an upbeat tune.
Opening the album is Downside which sets the tone for what is to come and almost feels like the opening to a musical piece. There’s no denying that it does feel like a PANIC! tune; the theatricality is all there with all the bells and whistles that creates a huge sounding anthem. Weekes croons his way through the song with his ever impressive vocals, backed by a fun piano and drum beats before the enormous guitar-infused chorus. Up next is Gloomtown Rats, which is easily one of the best songs on the album. Opening up on a sumptuous bass line, very similar to Another One Bites The Dust by QUEEN, it’s an easy listen that will be stuck in your head long after as the wavy synths bring an almost trippy vibe to the funky beat. The 80s inspiration is incredibly apparent and compliments Weekes’ singing style wonderfully – you’re almost gutted when it ends.
As you manoeuvre your way through the album, the crooning/80s-infused styles remain apparent and can sometimes give you the impression that one or two songs do sound the same, however they’re cut up nicely with other songs that offer something a little different which make them stand out in all the best ways. SPKOTHDVL is an absolute belter of a tune. Again Weekes shows off his excellent bass skills with yet another bass line that hooks you from the start, however throughout there is also a bluesy guitar riff that matches the excellent bass lines which creates a mischievous sound that will have you tapping your foot or snapping your fingers along in no time. Before long, we’re back into the crooning territory of SIXFT and Kiss & Tell which is basically what Frank Sinatra would have sounded if he was backed up by synths and not a huge swing band. It’s easy to imagine Weekes sauntering around a stage in a 1940s style outfit whilst listening to the pair back to back.
One of the most interesting tunes on the record is A Letter. It’s by far the heaviest track on the album and it opens up to some fun sounding synths before launching into a cacophony of sound. The song itself is a letter to a loved one read by a distorted voice that talks about the trials and tribulations of a relationship and echoes some of Weekes’ personal feelings. It definitely brings the feels and is very reminiscent of the wonderful Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) by Baz Luhrman; the whole album itself has that sort of wacky feel of one of his films which only makes it all the more enjoyable.
Towards the end of the album is the piece de resistance: Satanic Panic. It’s the best song on the whole record and has a wonderful bounce to it which shows off the band at their musical best. The glorious distorted bass and impressive drumming creates a fantastic bounce to the song, and of course it’s all backed up by a cheeky saxophone which makes the track about five times better. Once you add the vocals to it, particularly around the chorus, it sort of creates a ROYAL BLOOD vibe, and it’ll be easy to imagine swathes of people jumping up and down to it when performed live.
Gloom Division is a fun time all round. Whilst Razzmatazz was great in its own right, this record is what’s going to propel IDKHOW to the next level. Weekes’ charismatic talent oozes throughout the entire record and he demonstrates true showmanship throughout. Whilst the lyrics themselves can be quite dark and echo that of Weekes’ mind, the album itself does remain upbeat and shows that not everything is all doom and gloom. These songs are going to be something truly special when they’re performed live, and it won’t be at all surprising if Gloom Division ends up on a number of AOTY lists.
Rating: 8/10
Gloom Division is set for release on February 23rd via Concord Records.
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