The indie-pop band Fun. set the charts ablaze with its hit singles “We Are Young” and “Some Nights.”
While the group relentlessly toured the past few years, its guitarist, Jack Antonoff, slaved away at a secret project. This project, a band called Bleachers, officially debuted this year with the release of the hit single “I Wanna Get Better.”
The debut album, “Strange Desire,” straight off RCA Records, cements Antonoff as an exceptional solo musician who’s adept at experimenting with multiple genres.
After jamming to “I Wanna Get Better” on a daily basis, I pondered how Antonoff would compose the rest of the album. Would it follow its lead single’s sweeping energy and anthemic hooks? “Strange Desire” ends up flirting with several alternative subgenres. Call Bleachers an indie pop band all you like, but this debut LP proves it amounts to so much more.
Such diversity may weigh down other albums, but Antonoff deftly juggles multiple sounds over the course of “Strange Desire.” “Wild Heart” begins as a traditional alternative tune but gradually morphs into a fuzzily distorted symphony. “Wake Me” dials the energy back in favor of beachy guitar chords and such rumination like “I’d rather be sad with you / than with any other girls but you.”
“Shadow” finds Antonoff channeling his punk inspirations as he playfully plucks away at his guitar — something he learned to do quite well with Fun. — among bouncy synths and booming drums.
While Bleachers is technically comprised solely by Antonoff, producer John Hill plays a critical role shaping the album’s multifaceted personality. Hill takes traditional rock instrumentals and layers them with a bevy of sound effects. Everything from car crashes to echoing vocal snippets accompany Antonoff’s slick voice and punchy instrumentals.
Antonoff alternates between a forlorn bass and hopeful baritone as he painstakingly delivers the nuanced lyricism of the album. “Strange Desire” contains songs of eager love but also holds regretful mourning. This duality defines the album and also mirrors the two features: Grimes croons as a lover on “Take Me Away,” while Yoko Ono looks ahead as a griever on “I’m Ready To Move.”
Antonoff’s lyrics, inspired by his sister’s death, propel “Strange Desire” to even greater heights. “Who I Want You To Love” ends with glitchy vocals from presumably his late sister, telling the listener “I want to be grateful for the experiences I’ve had.”
Bleachers reminds us of how life’s struggles can break us down, but we possess the strength to carry onward and reflect on everything that has shaped us to become who we are now, even if it hurts.
[A version of this story ran on page 10 on 7/24/2014 under the headline "Fun. guitarist’s project puts out first LP, exceeds expectations"]
