Today, AJR confirmed the release of their third full-length album, Neotheater, out April 26. The album was entirely self-produced by the trio in Ryan and Jack’s NYC apartment with portions recorded in Los Angeles. The 12 original songs spin a coming of age tale that hears the band coming to terms with the sacrifices that come with growing older now that they are in their 20s. The buoyant and uplifting music is juxtaposed with darker lyrical narratives that touch on anxiety, naiveté and searching for integrity.
Newly released effervescent track “Birthday Party” features an eerie sample taken from David Lynch’sEraserhead. The song’s tongue-in-cheek lyrics live at the apex of wide-eyed inexperience as the song is sung from the point of view of a one-minute-old child.
AJR kicked off 2019 with an undeniable offbeat anthem “100 Bad Days,” which already has over 20 million streams. The accompanying video saw the band performing the song virtually dismembered incorporating surreal graphics and effects. Rolling Stone praised it as “trippy” and the song as “catchy, blending motivational pop vibes, light orchestral flourishes and more into a smooth whirl.” The band debuted “100 Bad Days” on the outdoor stage of Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night.
Listen to “Birthday Party” and “100 Bad Days”, and watch the Neotheater album trailer below.
Watch album trailer HERE