American Football (2019)
by American Football

After the masterpiece of the first record in 1999, after the disappointing 2016 II, Mike Kinsella and his band makes an convincing come back with a bunch of female guests, and one the greatest song of 2000's: Unconfortably Numb.

A perfectly good album, but when you’re following up two fantastic albums, it kinda falls to the wayside. Still plenty of quality music, but nothing as iconic as the past two.

From spigelwii 06/26/2020 15:00 | #254551

I can't really add anything to this page that other (better) reviewers haven't already said, but American Football (2019) falls a bit flat. It's music that lands softly and squarely in the middle of the river of ether separating shoegaze and dream pop, and fails to really excel at either. It's mesmerizing at it's best, but even the strongest songs here have consistency issues.

20 fucking years. Two decades of American Football's eponymous debut album pioneered the mid-west emo. AF developed a melancholic style backed up by arpeggios and a melodic play with a technicity close to math-rock. The band led by Mike Kinsella exploded in 1999 after this magnificent first record and a handful of basement shows. It was not until 2014 with the reissue of this same album to see the band back on stage. In 2016 came a second LP, still full of nostalgia but really uninteresting. Back in 2019. We do not expect much from American Football, and that's where we welcome. For if Urbana's band continues to dilute his eighth notes in a spleen close to the ambient, he succeeds where he failed two years earlier. That is to say, he again shapes delicate and memorable melodies by superimposing the layers as he knew how to do it well. American Football finally condenses with talent its know-how. And if obviously we do not find our first adolescent emotions, the charm undeniably operates.

7/10

Best track: "Uncomfortably Numb (feat. Hayley Williams)"

One of the top albums this year

From luigybetis 03/25/2019 23:32 | #234024

I like every song in here, but as an album it gets a bit boring and uncohesive. 7/10.

From HoldenM 03/25/2019 22:26 | #234022

A nice improvement over the good-but-underwhelming LP2.

What a lovely surprise!

Atmospheric and just gorgeous. What a lovely record. Right in my wheelhouse.

From awesomness425 03/25/2019 05:30 | #233997

Boasting the wonderful and intricate instrumentals I've known and loved them for, as well as the poignant and heartful lyricism. Never in my wildest dreams would I expect a comeback of this level.