Less than two years after their last record, Noticeably Cheerless, Buffalo’s The Abruptors have released their follow up album in Everything You Know Is Wrong. Noticeably Cheerless was one of my favorite albums in 2023, and this doesn’t only pick up where the last album left off, Everything about this album is a little bit better. The sound quality and production, the songwriting, everything just seems to be a little more dialed in. From the first song until the end, this album has me moving.
The album starts with “Such a Mess” a single that had been released back in October, and easily a fast favorite on the album. It picks up on a great tempo, the keyboard is phenomenal, and the two tone rhythm has me moving, and it doesn’t let up at all through the album.
One of my favorite things about this album is that the lead vocals are split pretty evenly and alternate leads on almost every song between masc and femme leads to really help keep everything sounding and feeling fresh. The horns are used sparingly but to great effect as they mostly add textures through the album allowing the keys, bass, and guitars to shine through and carry the tempo.
My favorite track on the album right now is “Run” which is the second track, and immediately follows the albums lead single, so the album starts off on the right foot and begs me to keep listening. Like the name of the song suggests, “Run” is fast paced and it’s catchy as hell and the song earwormed and was begging me to sing along long before I knew any of the words, it was just pulling me into the song.
I don’t want to extol the virtues of every song, but the first half of this album is so fucking good, and I’ll leave it at that. The back half doesn’t lack, but every song on the first half, through St Louis, just gets me so hype. The little horn solo in Concept Of Heart is so perfect by virtue of being the first time we hear isolated horns on the album and being 4 tracks deep, it feels more powerful and adds a lot of punch to an already great track. Every time the drums are driving me to dance, I stop and pay attention to how phenomenal everything Is working together, the keys are constantly laying rhythms that fit perfect and smooth bass lines laying underneath the upstrokes on the guitar and I beg for a dance floor full of people.
The Abruptors are quickly becoming one of my favorite two tone influenced bands in the new tone era. One thing is certain, I definitely need to find a way to see them live!
Written by Gimpleg
