The folk-rock band returned with an 11-track album.
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The folk-rock band returned with an 11-track album.
After three years of radio silence, The Lumineers are back.
Staying true to their usual heart-on-their-sleeve, folk sound, The Lumineers’ “Automatic” is a testament to their 20-year career as they explore the broader theme of navigating a changing landscape.
“The album explores some of the absurdities of the modern world, like the increasingly blurry line between what’s real and what’s not, and the variety of ways we numb ourselves while trying to combat both boredom and overstimulation,” lead singer Wesley Schultz said in a press release.
Prior to the Feb. 14 release of “Automatic,” the band teased fans with 30-second snippets of the record’s 11 tracks.
Opening with the single “Same Old Song,” The Lumineers refamiliarize audiences with their lively, danceable sound as a smacking drum sets an energetic tempo. In contrast, the band sing of feeling out of place.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me / I killed the mood so naturally / The guests begin to make me feel alone,” Schultz sings.
Maintaining a self-deprecating tone, gentle piano segues into “Asshole.” The candid lyrics sound like a confessional, detailing a first impression gone wrong.
Functioning as a simple interlude, the third song “Strings” is composed of exactly what the name implies — string instruments. Alternating mostly between the same two chords, violin melds with cello, sounding out a short but sweet symphony.
Titular track “Automatic” exemplifies the album’s thematic messaging as the band attempts to reconcile everyday occurrences with the monotony of day-to-day life.
But, the messaging of “Automatic” falls flat when compared to track 10, “Better Day.”
In “Better Day,” The Lumineers list out issues within the U.S., referencing insider trading by politicians, rubber bullets and teenagers taking the forefront of national activism. Each issue is punctuated with crisp piano chords, drawing attention to the subject while forcing listeners to consider problems that are now normalized in the U.S.
“Dreamin’ of a better day / Rubber bullets, pepper spray / Cardboard boxes on the way,” Schultz sings.
Track five, “You’re All I Got,” is a desperate plea for a loved one to be the singer’s anchor to reality and happiness. The heavy responsibility of being someone’s tether is mirrored in Schultz’s voice as he pushes into his upper range for the chorus.
Electronic and trippy guitars open “Plasticine,” bringing a dystopian feel as The Lumineers describe molding to fit a specific role.
Plasticine — a molding clay commonly used by children — also alludes to Shultz and Lumineers co-founder Jeremiah Fraites adjusting to their roles as fathers.
In “Ativan,” the band anthropomorphize the drug — a benzodiazepine often used to treat anxiety, according to Mayo Clinic. Singing of happiness feeling absent without medication, The Lumineers paint the antidepressant as an escape to “Neverland.”
Backed by a fuller chorus, the band explores the duality of prescription medications, weighing the benefits against the damages in the outro.
“I’ll be on the bullet train to Neverland / Your enemy with benefits, we’re free / I’ll provide the poison and the mеdicine,” The Lumineers sings.
Song nine,“Keys on the Table,” and track five, “You’re All I Got,” are two sides of the same coin as the singer details the progression of a relationship gone sour. The raw emotion in “You’re All I Got” is reflected in “Keys on the Table” as The Lumineers sing of losing faith and a struggling relationship while echoing the title of song five.
“Would you sell me out / At the first chance you get? / You’re all I got / You’re all I got,” Schutlz sings.
“Automatic” is characteristic of what Lumineers fans have come to love — a comforting folk sound paired with earnest lyrics.
The Lumineers will come to Chicago Aug. 30 for their Automatic World Tour. “Automatic” is available on all major streaming services.
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