Japandroids: Fate & Alcohol

When Vancouver duo Japandroids released their debut Post Nothing in 2009, rock fans suddenly had eight tunes that each sounded like bombs exploding. Drummer David Prowse and guitarist-singer Brian King created densely layered, wildly intense bursts of ecstatic energy that left people amazed that it all came from only two dudes. King’s positive, sweet, longing lyrics and shout-along melodies made the whole thing catch on big time. The band’s follow-up, 2012’s Celebration Rock, was a major underground hit with fans and critics alike. Now, seven years after their last record, Japandroids are back with Fate & Alcohol, which they’ve described as their final album. While the new songs pack in powerful, punchy energy, they largely lack the warm, emotional core or the acrobatic, truly mesmerizing guitar work of their earlier records. On “Upon Sober Reflection,” we hear pummeling guitars churning out a relatable sentiment of wanting to be desired, but it feels dour—“Don’t want to know if you love me if you ain’t gonna do something about it.” The album follows a far more punk-rock ethos musically; these tunes are fast, hanging on King’s steady, furiously strummed eighth notes, but there are less gnarly, melodic riffs to dig into here. However, with “Positively 34th Street,” Japandroids do tap into the emotions that originally made them indie stars. After a down-and-out story of yearning for love, sung over dynamic lows and highs, King’s on fire: “But if I don’t hurry up/ If I don’t make this bet/ I might miss a moment/ Lord knows I’ll regret.” That “take a chance” unpredictability feels key to Japandroids, creating punk rock with unforeseen twists and turns. Fate & Alcohol hints at the greatness of a band that’s always been proudly, boldly themselves.