Mt. Joy — Rearrange Us (6/5/20)
This is the sophomore album from this Los Angeles alternative folk group.
We were given the first taste all the way back in October with the release of the title track. A snappy drum beat, slick guitar, and gentle keys set a swaying groove that carries into a contemplative hook and looks at the passing of time.
It sets the stage rather nicely for an album that seems to have its own way of speaking on life’s complexities. Singer and songwriter, Matt Quinn has a way with his words where much of what he is singing about feels like only he knows what it truly means.
The fantastic opener “Bug Eyes” appears to have him giving his best to an ex-love who is moving on. It takes a couple of minutes for the song to pick up but when it does, you get some of the most rock-strong moments of the album.
“My Vibe” is Mt. Joy at their most playful with a quirky performance that urges you to “move ’til you feel better.” A song like this shows that the band is not locked in the folk genre as they play with a more groovy, almost funk rock kind of sound.
Folk is still at the core of their sound though. You feel it in “Let Loose,” with the dancing guitar notes acting as the song’s second voice, and with the colourful piano on a song like the playfully bleak “Death.”
Other alternative rock similarities are felt on this. It follows it’s own beat but the gospel-infused climactic outro to “Come With Me” holds a likeness to The Killers classic “All These Things That I’ve Done.” And the guitar work on the moody rock of “Acrobats” sounds fit for a Kings of Leon song.
“Witness” takes its time but works its way to possibly the album’s greatest moment and actually one of the strongest musical moments of the year. The first half is spent setting up a love that seems to be the one saving grace and the second half is the sad truth.
He walks in on her with someone else and we get the most aggressive and cutting passage of the album when he yells, “Shut off that stupid song/I should cut out your tongue.” What makes it truly special though is the contrasting emotions as he says, “I don’t believe what you’ve become, but/I’m ready to love you still/I’m living under your spell.” The vocals turn from tight rage to an open falsetto and it’s a brilliant contrast of musical feeling.
“Us” and “Become” play a lovely role on this album. The partnering tracks amount to under 4 minutes together and will pass you by if you’re not paying attention. They’re about as soft as it comes on this release and they don’t do too much on their own but instead act as a fantastic warm-up for the album’s closing track “Strangers.”
Altogether, it’s the album’s best song. It’s a wonderful culmination to a somewhat troubled album as it seems to take comfort in the circumstances and puts the trouble to rest.
And I did not want our love to be erased
But Lord knows we chased it, love just rearranged us
The song sounds like it’s finally letting go of the weight of a lost relationship. A bouncy chorus has Quinn singing “I am over you/Flesh wound, little flesh wound.”
Two albums in, Mt. Joy is establishing themselves as a very exciting voice in alternative music and it’ll be interesting to see how they continue to push their sound in the future.
