Summer. Pleasure. Hoodies. All these things come to mind upon listening to Matt and Kim’s most recent album “New Glow.” Released on April 7, this collection of songs channels a punk-rock spin on a contemporary — and by contemporary, I mean Ryan Seacrest’s American Top 40 — genre. Though they meet the upbeat-speakers-bumping criteria of the Billboard's Top 100, the entirety of their album fails to instill any lessons or deep thoughts. Then again, that may be the entire point.
While society has certainly made the (somewhat unfortunate) shift from indie-rock to pop-hits, Matt and Kim, along with the producers of “New Glow,” had the right idea to follow suit. Listening to the very first song on the album, “Hey Now,” I was overcome by an introduction of mixed beats more powerful than many other Matt and Kim songs I’ve heard thus far. Finding the difference a nice change of pace, I began to flip through other songs within the album to discover the same trend. Soon after, I started listening to the words, which instilled a feeling of light-heartedness and a yearning for summertime. Repetitive as usual, the Matt and Kim song lyrics failed to encompass anything deep or meaningful. While the recurrence of “Look lookin’ like a king look lookin’ like a king with a hoodie on” or “At 1:00 a.m.” with a techno beat doesn’t provide any contemplation, I found it a valid transition into a season filled with fun and carefree attitudes. Maybe even some hoodies?
At any point in time — and randomly in “Get It” — I anticipated an epic rap verse, but alas this was not the case. That being said, though, the enjoyable beat provided a unique variation of genres: punk rock mixed with techno, indie and even a little hip-hop. The constantly sanguine beats within “New Glow” never failed to make my head bob while mindlessly working on homework, and while this stylistic mix makes a fair competitor against American Top 40, Matt and Kim sustains more of an interest through its entire album then, say, a Zedd album.
Now, back to the lyrics. While I’ve already made it known that the lyrics don’t provide anything thought-provoking or satirical like Courtney Barnett, they provide a cheeky vibe some people just want or need to hear. However, the interpretation — or lack thereof — becomes completely dependent on an individual’s taste. Though they may not have done anything for me, another person could very well find them enjoyable.
All in all, the vibe of “New Glow” comes at a perfect time in the year. If not for the impending summer season, its miscellaneous vibes may not have taken it as far. If you’re in need of some head-bobbing tunes with feel-good lyrics, Matt and Kim will provide you with a glowing new album.
