Welcome to CalTimes’s Album of the Week series! We will review our favorite albums and artists, old and new, across all genres. If you have any suggestions, please email us!
Japanese Breakfast is an indie pop band from Pennsylvania with very successful albums. Their music is a blend of regular indie pop, but at times, they have significant blends of lo-fi and dreamy pop that give their songs very euphoric feelings. They also branch out from other indie groups with their mixture of synth-pop and shoegaze, a style of rock that blurs the distinctions between the singer and the instruments, which helps with their surreal approach in their songs. Their most popular and Grammy-nominated album is their last one, Jubilee, which came out in 2021 and has hit songs like “Be Sweet” and “Kokomo, IN.” Their newest album, For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), is the follow-up to their most successful album, so let’s dive deeper to see if it lives up to their last.
For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), the title theme of the album is very melancholy and gloomy, delving into ideas of vulnerability and the band members’ struggles. There are also themes of grief and loss of relationships that are very evident and delve into dealing with these emotions. This album also has holistic undertones, giving it a sincere and raw sound.
Here are a few songs worth noting in the album that I consider some of my favorites.
Track 8, “Men in Bars,” is probably my favorite album song, featuring a random duet with famous actor Jeff Bridges. It tells the tale of a couple who are in a toxic relationship where the woman leaves and is unfaithful multiple times but does so because of the man’s many failures and lack of responsibility. The woman still feels guilty for being disloyal, and the man feels deep sadness, which causes him to fall back into his cycle of breaking down, ultimately creating this constant cycle for the couple. This song is the least experimental in the album and has a soft melody that gives a very slow-rock feel.
Track 5, “Little Girl,” is a song about a tumultuous relationship between father and daughter. It takes perspective through the alcoholic father, who feels this sense of dread with their fallout. This is probably the most holistic song of the album, looking at this relationship through a bigger lens. It gives a raw and authentic feel about the song’s theme, with its soft and slow, dreamy feel that adds to this emotionally sad song.
Track 6, “Leda” is a follow-up to the previous song that continues with the same father-daughter relationship that talks about a phone call between the two where the daughter expresses her resentment but delves with the truth that blood ties have this powerful hold on to people where they are still reconnecting even if they can never feel they have changed their still a drive-in family ties that keeps you close. The instrumental is very similar to the last track but has a softer play on the guitar and melody to showcase the letting go of a barrier for a moment, even if the situation is still the same.
Rating 8/10
The album’s themes and melancholy, dreamy pop feel are present throughout, but it never feels like this cliche, sad type of music. It just feels sincere and raw because of the approach to music writing and themes in the songs that promote this very big-picture view of situations of sadness, which gives the album a feeling of peace. The euphoric, dreamy feel of the album is very intoxicating and creates an ultimate vibe that makes it very listenable wherever you are.
