We Can’t Enjoy Ourselves’ Clever Undertones [stream]

Don’t be deceived. Brooklyn band, We Can’t Enjoy Ourselves don’t simply make uppity tunes suitable for easy-listening, summery afternoons. In fact, they’ve mastered the ability to fool listeners into thinking just that. Listen closely, though, (and think about their band name) and you’ll pick up some clever lyrical undertones of cynicism and gloominess. Lead singer, Giovanni told a certain source that “[the band] strive for happiness, but they always fall short”, so take a listen and see just how short they fall.

Never Listen To The Ones You Love is their latest LP, featuring eight addictively ironic indie pop tunes with swinging Motown-inspired bass riffs and melancholy-filled organ sections. The track “Winsome William”, however, flows and develops more fluently as a pop tune than other songs from the LP. Early in the song, there’s a cute little lyric that has been repeating like a broken record in my head — “All the hippies and the punks say they fucked it up/The disco dancing and the drugs, they say they fucked it up” — a nice portrait of today’s social scenes. They’ve successfully mixed portions of 50s rock music with popular low-key sounds from the likes of Morrisey, Belle & Sebastian and The Smiths. Their music truly shines in various bridging sections, where more of a party vibe is adopted, leading listeners to bop along enthusiastically. At least I certainly did.