SUPER LIMITED EDITION 180G ORANGE MARBLE VINYL IMPORT
Release Date: 21st October 2016
The band that fuelled a thousand other imitators return with their follow-up LP (I can't believe I'm saying that... I never thought I would ever say that!) seventeen years later. Now the whole "cult-band reform and release new material for the first time in forever" story hasn't really gone so well with recent past experiences (Refused being a particular example) so there was an air of apprehension with this release. But hearing those beautiful guitars twinkle into sight within the first few seconds shortly joined by Mike Kinsella's vulnerable voice you just felt you were back home. And home (still) is the central theme for American Football. Just look at the front cover - is that THE house from the inside? Yes. But American Football 2 is not a natural follow-up to the original and how could it be? The lyrical perspective is now one from adulthood musically it is more to the point with the use of more standard song structures and Kinsella's voice is obviously more mature and higher in the mix. But those signature guitar tones are still their so are the expertly jazzy rhythms and mathy time signatures and that trumpet! This is the sound of returning home after seventeen years being nostalgic about everything you see but seeing it all in a completely different perspective. Welcome back welcome home.
