Pop Songs 2020 EP - Bumper: Review
is the new collaborative project of Michelle Zauner the woman behind Japanese Breakfast, and Ryan Galloway a multi-instrumentalist member of indie trio Crying. The quarantine collaboration seemingly came out of nowhere with no singles and a late announcement for the EP's release.
Review By Lavender:
I was all in on this project as soon as I first heard about it, only a few days before it was actually released. I've enjoyed both of Michelle's records as Japanese Breakfast particularly her 2017 sophomore record and I was wondering when we would hear from her next. I was particularly intrigued with Crying's 2016 debut record and surprised we hadn't heard anything from the band since. Given my admiration for the artist and how long it's been since we heard from each of them properly I was very exited for this project and while it is not at all what I expected, it is pretty good.
There were no singles for this project so lets just jump right in with the great opener You Can Get It. The track is a super interesting blend of shrill but warm and incredibly catchy pop song. The glistening synths are paired with some slick guitar riffs for a genuine great time. The track is accessible but still adventurous and I really dig it. The second track is another highlight and a song I suspect will be making a lot of indie playlists and tik tok videos in the coming months, Black Light. The song has a punchy bass heavy beat and some wild 80's synths. The hook is simple but really really catchy and the dark moody atmosphere of the song is absolutely intoxicating. The track isn't just a vibe though it refuses to fall into the background and I find myself enjoying it more and more every time I hear it.
The second half of the EP isn't quite as good as the first starting with Red Brick. This may be my least favorite performance from Michelle vocally here and the mix doesn't do her any favors as it can be difficult to make out her singing over parts of the instrumental. Thankfully that instrumental is pretty damn good with bells and whistles that go beyond any other track here. Despite this I think it is still the weakest track of the four here and the EP improves with its closer Ballad 0. Obviously the track is a ballad to close off the EP and it pairs solemn piano with more complex string arrangements hovering in and out of the songs background. I'm not sure the vocal recording style was right for this track if only because Michelle can get lost in some of the high notes but the song manages a dramatic and compelling energy nonetheless. It is a bit of a shame however that the song doesn't have a more involved ending to close the EP out.
Pop Song 2020 is a great start, It doesn't have any real duds and shows a ton of potential and creativity from it's two artists. While the EP may not make any grand or complete artistic statements it does provide 12 minutes of fun and has only strengthened my excitement for what these two artists will do next, either together or with their own individual projects. 7/10
Album Cover Review By Tyler Judson:
This cover is a lot to look at. It has small details that are hard to see and others that are right in your face. I like the illustration style and the bold text on the right side but it doesn't have any meaning behind it that I see. It seems like they had a lot of ideas and just crushed them into one amalgamation. The small texts on the left are forgettable and aren't really necessary. COuld've been executed way better if they had focused on the great illustration in the center. 5/10
For more indie pop check out my review of Glass Animals' Dreamland here
