Earlier this month, indie rock darlings Matt Johnson & Kim Schifino of beloved alternative duo Matt & Kim released their newest album, Lightning.
Fans have been waiting for Lighting since 2010, and fortunately, they were not disappointed.
Lighting has the classic Matt & Kim sound, but just slightly more sophisticated and tightened up. Compared to the once-ubiquitous single “Daylight,” Lightning retains much of the pep and liveliness while trading in some of the rawness for more synth.
However, I hesitate to say that Matt & Kim has lost their inherent rawness completely.
Beneath the synthetic beats, you can still hear Johnson’s true voice, unlike many artists today who essentially cower behind a sound board and tech teams.
The first track, “Let’s Go” is everything it should be: a smooth, danceable track, with just enough of an old Matt & Kim vibe, with a chorus that makes you want to sing along.
However, if Matt & Kim have a flaw, it’s that their songs have a tendency to all sound the same.
By track 5, “Overexposed,” I began to tire of the drums and the same charmingly off-pitch voice.
The album hits a low on “I Said,” perhaps the most annoying, albeit frustratingly catchy song on the album.
But then it’s tracks like “I Wonder” and “Much Too Late” that turn the album around again.
“I Wonder” relies heavily on a significant amount of editing, but that’s what makes the song stick out. “Much Too Late” has a rapid fire first verse that is bizarrely Blink 182-esque, in the best possible way. Its angsty lyrics (“You think I’m some little phony, but the thing is you don’t fucking know me”) and unrelenting drums will take anyone back to tenth grade, blasting “Anthem Part II” by Blink 182 in the high school parking lot.
It is easily the most striking song on Lightning. The album finishes up with “Ten Dollars I Found,” a shockingly slow after the predictable deluge of fast paced tracks. Although it feels rather odd at first, “Ten Dollars I Found” seems to work as a sweet “until next time” to listening fans.
Overall, Matt & Kim have proved themselves again in the indie rock world.
Whether you’ve been a fan for years or are just discovering Matt & Kim, be sure to check out Lightning.
