“Five Score and Seven Years Ago” is like laying back while tiny elves pour maple syrup directly down your throat. Sweeeeeeeeet, fun, and energizing. These 14 musical adventures brim over with the usual Relient K quirk we’ve come to know and love, beginning with that Lincolnesque title. Frontman Matt Thiessen explains, as if it’s quite obvious, thank you, that it’s the band’s fifth album, and seven years since the last one. Duh. Let the games begin.
“Five Score and Seven Years Ago” doesn’t release from Gotee/Capitol Records until March 6th, so I’ll hold off on the complete review until next month. But let’s talk about the first single and the only other track previously released, “Faking My Own Suicide,” heard first on “My Other Album.”
The ebullient single, “Must Have Done Something Right,” is something of a new occurrence for Relient K. It’s a straight-up happy-happy-joy-joy love song. Released to radio this past November, the hooky pop song pumps out sweetness and light unapologetically, right through the tight harmonies of the Beatlesque bridge. Sheer unadulterated fun. Might get some new fans to mark March 6th in red, though I don’t see it as a track representative of the whole album.
The tongue-in-cheek “Faking My Own Suicide” does fall more in line with the usual Relient K wry observations. “So I’ve made up my mind/ I will pretend to leave this world behind/ And in the end, you’ll know I’ve lied/ To get your attention/ I’m faking my own suicide.” The irony lies in the bouncy pop beat mixed with the oblivious selfishness, and you can picture Thiessen’s sly smirk as he sings it. His sly smarmy smirk. Sorry, I’ve just always wanted to say smarmy, and it fit so well between the sly and the smirk I just couldn’t resist it. See what I mean about listening to Relient K. Beats the heck outta candy bars.
Check back for our full review of Relient K’s “Five Score and Seven Years Ago” next month.
