Grade: 80/100
Alt-J is set to release their sophomore album, “This Is All Yours”, on September 22.
Their first album, “An Awesome Wave”, was released in May 2012, and it was indeed awesome. The album also received remarkable reviews and commercial success. Thus far, three singles from the new album have been released.
The first song, “Hunger of the Pine,” was released on June 19.
“Hunger of the Pine” contains a sample of a Miley Cyrus 2013 song called “4×4.” Apparently, alt-J’s drummer, Thom Green, did a remix of “4×4” for Cyrus, and when the band asked if they could use a sample, she said that she was indeed “cool with it.” The sample features Cyrus singing the line “I’m a female rebel.”
“Hunger of the Pine” also has alt-J’s signature electronically synthesized drums. In addition to synthesized drums, there are a few different synthesizer sounds used on the song.
The music video for “Hunger of the Pine” features a guy running through through woods while being shot with arrows. Not super conceptually invoking, but it fits with the lyrics of the song, minus the Miley Cyrus sample.
This first song shows how alt-J’s instrumentation and arranging style is developing into something different from anything they, or anyone else, has done before. The song employs guitarist and lead vocalist Joe Newman’s smooth and soulful vocals as well.
This soulful element is expanded and exponded upon in the second single, “Left Hand Free,” released July 15. Here, the swelling and waning and the smoothness of the previous album and even “Hunger of the Pine” is replaced by a more freewheeling, Southern rock sound.
“Left Hand Free” is led by a steady, gainy guitar line, and the drums are much more present than in most other alt-J songs. The song even features a bluesy keyboard solo.
The music video for “Left Hand Free” shows friends joyfully passing time in the countryside together, hanging out in a river and riding fourwheelers.
The latest single, “Every Other Freckle,” released Aug. 13, blends together the band’s old skillful employment of dynamics with what seems to be their newer, more rock-influenced sound.