I figure i’ll just keep making my way down the list of artists that I don’t shut up about in any social setting so up next is what might be my favourite band of all time.
Parquet Courts are a Brooklyn / Texas based post-punk group, who went from playing DIY basement punk shows in 2011 to playing on Ellen while promoting their 2018 album Wide Awake!. Though the group easily fits in with any descriptor of post-punk, they manage a very unique sound by being one of the few post-punk acts that doesn’t sound like a Joy Division cover band. Short fast classic punk style tracks are just as common in their tracklists as 8 minute noise explorations, all of which is backed up by the groups effective songwriting, catchy bass lines, and memorable hooks.
Despite their post-punk tendencies Parquet Courts are often very honest and curt about social issues. Across their discography they discuss the struggles of living in large cities (Human Performance), the effect mass media and technology is having on culture (Content Nausea), and on their newest album Wide Awake! the group rallies for social justice. Wide Awake!‘s tracklist covers topics ranging from the evils of capitalism to gun violence. Instead of bothering with complex metaphors to deal with these issues, frontman A. Savage’s lyrics are straight to the point. His songwriting often presents a sort of vignette which allows the listener to be place in the shoes of the situation. For example, the track “I Was Just Here” off of Human Performance puts the listener in the shoes of someone in a New York City apartment, and the end of the track ends with his repeated shouting of “I was just here!” when he finds out his favourite chinese food place isn’t there anymore.
This style of songwriting seems to be tailored to the era of music in which we live. With easy access to any music one desires through streaming, both music fans and casual listeners often spend less time with a particular group or album. Instead of pouring over the contents of a specific songs because its the only CD you have in your car, you make new playlists almost weekly with new tracks. If any deep lyrical analysis is done, Genius provides most people with a quick and suitable analysis. A. Savage’s lyrics require no interpretation, and Parquet Courts sticks out for it when their songs end with “Fuck Tom Brady”.
I fear if I write anymore it’ll be boring. I really want to write like 20 more paragraphs and try to explain why this band is good but really you just need to listen to them to get it. I’ve been following this band for coming up on 2 years now, and I really wish I found them earlier. I’ve watched their spotify monthly listeners number almost triple in the past year, and I hope it goes higher. Parquet Courts have an incredibly unique but accessible sound, and their albums are so catchy and fun to listen to. I put on Human Performance while writing this and I lost my train of thought so many times because god DAMN Sean Yeaton does nasty things with a bass guitar. I have no doubt this band will get bigger and better, and I’m super excited for their future. I never get bored of this band and you won’t either, check out either of their latest two records please Ty UwU.
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