Less conceptually restrictive and more creatively freeform than they've been in years,
Joywave
merge their usual tongue-in-cheek wit and wildly inventive songwriting with the addition of some orchestral backing for their fifth studio album,
Permanent Pleasure
. It's unlike anything listeners have heard from them before. Take the cinematic opener, "Graffiti Planet," which incorporates samples from a former mayor of their hometown of Rochester, New York (Thomas Ryan), an orchestra (playing 1984's
The Rochester Sesquicentennial
, released the year frontman
Daniel Armbruster
was born), and stabbing synth discord to shake the brain loose before plunging into more-traditional
cuts. Those include "Scared," a showcase for '90s-styled guitar noise and existential dread, and the pulsing earworm "Brain Damage," which describes what it takes to survive in the world today. Meanwhile, the horn-backed disco-funk of the scathing "He's Back!" rides an elastic groove while offering some of the album's sharpest and funniest lyrics, about the second coming. Listeners in search of straightforward indie rock blasts can jump straight to "Swimming in the Glow" and "Hate to Be a Bother," the latter of which features the best sing-along chorus on
("I hate to be a bother/But could you leave me the f*ck alone?"). The contributions by the
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
are the secret weapon of this set, imbuing the
sound with theatrical heft and a dreamlike quality that's heard on additional standouts such as the lush "Sleepytime Fantasy" and "Splendor." Short and sweet,
is a vibrant maturation that sounds like
Armbruster
and company are having fun again. The world is going to hell, but after wringing their hands for a few albums,
have decided to embrace the chaos and just be in the moment. It's no surprise that this approach -- and really anything they've set their minds to -- works, resulting in yet another thoughtful, engaging, and thoroughly addictive effort to add to their arsenal. ~ Neil Z. Yeung