Releasing on 22 May via Dirty Hit, Bleachers are back with their forthcoming fifth studio album, everyone for ten minutes. Fronted by three-time Grammy-winning producer Jack Antonoff, the band’s upcoming release faces rising scepticism. Amid growing backlash over Antonoff’s ubiquitous presence in music, having worked on projects for Taylor Swift, The 1975, Lana Del Rey, Lorde, and Sabrina Carpenter, fans are left wondering if the new record can transcend producer fatigue and still deliver something fresh that silences the concerns of oversaturation.
Opening with drowsy saxophones, Sideways is reminiscent of Antonoff’s work on The 1975’s Being Funny in a Foreign Language, evoking a similar atmosphere of the saxophones and drums in About You. Yet, the track still feels captivatingly original and works as the perfect album opener because of its lower register. Leading us into the album’s
third single, The Van, Bleachers show off their experimentation and undeniable growth; the band appear to be at their most sonically confident. The 70s-inspired track explores their early touring days, sampling Just Don’t Want to be Lonely by Blue Magic to hypnotise with nostalgia.
We Should Talk blurs the boundaries of the album into a more familiar territory that feels deeply like previous releases of the band. Blending layered vocoder effects with a driving drumbeat, the song is strong and cohesive like the rest, but is admittedly the most forgettable of the record. Fortunately, lead single You and Forever arrives in time to pick the album back up. Isolated vocals reminiscent of Cameron Winter lead the track into a jingle that echoes their previous single, Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call. Bleachers go full Americana from here with Dirty Wedding Dress, my new favourite song of theirs. Marrying rhythmic chaos with Springsteen-style saxophones as Antonoff sings about his exhaustion with industry vultures, Bleachers have never sounded better.
Continuing their vow to shut out industry noise to “make the records [they] wanna make”, Take You Out Tonight spotlights the rest of the band that are often shadowed behind Antonoff. Telling them, “Bleachers take it!”, each member has their own solo to shine, and their unshakeable connection becomes palpable through the music. With earnest lyricism and soft-sounding composition, Can’t Believe You’re Gone is perhaps the band’s most moving song yet. Channelling the soulful atmosphere of Springsteen’s Secret Garden, the tribute to his late sister is devastatingly intimate.
Dancing perfectly showcases Antonoff’s harmonies, while She’s From Before delivers a string arrangement that delves into new ground that the band have yet to explore, country. Doing what they do best, their self-awareness remains quintessentially Bleachers. ‘I’m Not Joking’ offers a glimpse into his relationship with his wife, Margaret Qualley, the muse of his earnest love allegories. Seamlessly wrapping up the record, Upstairs At ELS, delivers an uplifting finale, unveiling a rare glimpse behind the doors of Antonoff’s legendary recording studio in New York, Electric Lady Studios. And of course, it features another incredible sax solo.
Bleachers have done it again; everyone for ten minutes is a definitive triumph of the band. Antonoff has beaten the backlash; his best work remains his own.
Words by Ellie Evans
Image courtesy of Brett Jordan via Unsplash. No changes have been made to the original image.
