Bummer Pop Has Returned With "Deliberately Alive"
By Nat Szczepanski
In spite of the current circumstances the music world finds itself in, Future Teens has found a way to continue growing their sound. Recording sessions from afar, online gigs every once in a while, and a multitude of interactions via social media have become the new routine. The culmination of this? Deliberately Alive. Recently released on March 12th, the EP shows a different side of the quartet, one more barred to the world.
The first track, “Separated Anxiety,” gives an excellent introduction to exactly what Future Teens is all about: familiar indie-pop riffs. All glittery guitars and yearning lead vocals from Daniel Radin affirms that hopeless on-edge feeling we all experience. The song itself is oddly calming, like a buddy patting you on the back and telling you everything will be alright despite the circumstances.Radin leads us through his own anxieties of self sabotage: “Turns out I was watering the weeds / Hoping to root the good in me / But growth’s no good with no good seed / I’m here just long enough to leave.” He struggles to correctly express exactly what he’s feeling, and this is reflected in the verses and how they’re played—like a trudge forward.
The following track, “Guest Room,” features other lead singer Amy Hoffman in what is an anthem for pseudo-adulthood. The song is perhaps the biggest departure from their usual sound, featuring heavier instrumentation and more pop elements. The chorus stands out the most with insanely catchy, sing-along-with-your-windows-down lyrics. Hoffman tackles what it means to be living in a period of adulthood where all you’re able to do is fumble about: in search of work, of love, or simply a place with a guest room. The outro does the heavy lifting in this regard, as the Teens have brought in a multitude of friends to echo back “going young or getting old” in response to a set of particular lines. It’s suggested you join the choir as well.
“Play Cool” is a continuation of their uniquely catchy brand of “bummer pop.” The song’s opening, with lone vocals from Daniel Radin, is marked with a simplistic down strum: a change from their other work, which usually features complex guitar patterns. This soon gives way to a chorus with their familiar indie-pop sound. The dreamy chorus is carried by Hoffman and their unique combination of jazz-inspired chord progressions. The drums and bass in this song, while subtler than in“Guest Room,” are not as toned down as in “Separated Anxiety.” This does well to uplift the vocals and form a steady foundation. Colby Blauvelt’s use of the ride cymbal during the chorus adds another layer to the overall sound, again creating a wave of resonance. “Play Cool” is just the song to put on in the background during a good cry, or to sway to while acting out severely missed basement shows. And just to be safe, grab a box of tissues.
“Bizarre Affection,” the fourth song on Deliberately Alive, begins with a grand entrance: splashy guitars, a ringing lead carrying the melody, and Blauvelt’s fills on the drums. It segues into a stripped back verse wherein Hoffman tells of losing a partner over the course of the song. Despite being the longest song on the EP, “Bizarre Affection” gently leads you from each section of the song to the next in no time at all. The Teens reminisce: “Remember when we walked / Back home last Halloween / Thought we were fighting / Turns out we were just upset.” By utilizing first person point of view in this song, it morphs from simply telling listeners about a certain lost lover to involving them in the story. Even though we have no direct connection to this set of events, because of Hoffman’s strategic writing, we suddenly have a stake in the heartbreak occuring. “Bizarre Affection” is the standout song on the EP.
Before releasing these four new original songs into the world, Future Teens departs with an excellent cover of Cher’s “Believe” (1998). They take the original’s disco infused, upbeat nature and flip it on its head, transforming the song into the lament it was always meant to be. While Cher’s original version is of course a classic anthem and infectious dance tune, Future Teens’ version strips back the electronic drums and autotune in favor of their unique brand of Boston “bummer pop.” The track then becomes more about the lovers involved rather than Cher singing about such a circumstance as the two lead singers of the Teens trade verses and echo each other on the bridge. It’s a heartbreaking way to end the EP but fitting for a band not afraid to address those specific feelings some of us can’t exactly put into words. Deliberately Alive signals to the scene that, even though 2020 was supposed to be their breakout year, there’s more in store from a band that spent the time off writing more bangers for when everything reopens.