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girl in red Shares New Single ‘Doing It Again Baby’

Konstantinos Pappis
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girl in red Shares New Single ‘Doing It Again Baby’

girl in red has dropped the title track from her upcoming album I’m Doing It Again Baby!. It follows February’s ‘Too Much’. Listen to ‘Doing It Again Baby’ below.

“This is the most fun track I’ve ever made,” Marie Ulven said in a press release. “It was actually very hard to write because I was struggling with allowing myself to make a song that I just thought was f**king sick, cool and fun. I tried to force myself to write some sappy-try-hard meaningful lyrics when really all this song was supposed to be, was the soundtrack of feeling absolutely on the top of the world.”

I’m Doing It Again Baby! comes out April 12 via Columbia.

Albums Out Today: Ariana Grande, Kim Gordon, Bleachers, Moor Mother, and More

Konstantinos Pappis
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Albums Out Today: Ariana Grande, Kim Gordon, Bleachers, Moor Mother, and More

In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Here are the albums out on March 8, 2024:

Ariana Grande, Eternal Sunshine

Ariana Grande’s new album, Eternal Sunshine, has arrived via Republic. The follow-up to 2020’s Positions was preceded by the single ‘yes, and?’, which got a remix featuring Mariah Carey, and was co-produced by Grande, Ilya Salmanzadeh, and Max Martin. Its title is inspired by the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. “I think the movie is so beloved because so many people can relate to knowing that something isn’t right, but loving so much, and wanting to stay, and wanting to figure it out, and that cycle that can happen in the film,” Grande told Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe. “I think that’s why the film is so beloved. It’s because so many people can relate to it, and I think it kind of fell into place that these songs had little tidbits of that theme. I just felt really inspired by it.”

Kim Gordon, The Collective

Kim Gordon has issued her second solo album, The Collective, whose title was partially inspired by Jennifer Egan’s novel The Candy House. The follow-up to 2019’s No Home Record finds Gordon continuing her collaboration with producer Justin Raisen (Lil Yachty, John Cale, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Charli XCX, Yves Tumor) and features additional production from Anthony Paul Lopez. It was previewed by the tracks ‘BYE BYE’, ‘I’m a Man’, and ‘Psychedelic Orgasm’.

Bleachers, Bleachers

Jack Antonoff’s Bleachers have dropped their self-titled album, following up 2021’s Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night, via Dirty Hit. It includes the previously released singles ‘Modern Girl’, ‘Alma Mater’, ‘Tiny Moves’, and ‘Me Before You’. “I wanted the album to have both because Bleachers live is such a thing,” Antonoff said in an interview with Zane Lowe. “We’re a live band. But I also am a producer, and I just kind of… I don’t know. I think my audience has just given me a lot of courage and power, and so I just feel like I don’t really give a s**t to do this hyper-separation of everything anymore. Yeah, everything’s going on at the same time anyway, so I just felt like there could be songs like ‘Modern Girl’ and then there could be songs like ‘Alma Mater’, which feel incredibly produced in very specific ways that I do.” Read our review of Bleachers.

Moor Mother, The Great Bailout

Moor Mother has released her ninth studio album, The Great Bailout, via ANTI-. The follow-up to 2022’s Jazz Codes features contributions from Lonnie Holley, Mary Lattimore, Vijay Ayer, Angel Bat Dawid, Sistazz of the Nitty Gritty, Aaron Dilloway, Mary Lattimore, Raia Was, and more, as well as the early singles ‘Guilty’ and ‘All the Money’.“Research is a major part of my work, and researching history – particularly African history, philosophy and time – is a major interest,” Camae Ayewa said in a statement about her work and its focus on the effects of British colonialism. “Europe and Africa have a very intimate and brutal relationship throughout time. I’m interested in exploring that relationship of colonialism and liberation, in this case in Great Britain.”

Torrey, Torrey

Torrey – the Bay area group formed by siblings Siblings Ryann and Kelly Gonsalves – have released their self-titled sophomore LP, which is also their first Slumberland. Combining various shades of shoegaze, indie rock, and ’90s alt-rock, the follow-up to 2021’s Something Happy was tracked at Ryann’s home studio, with Matthew Ferrara of the Umbrellas coming in to help flesh out the songs.

Bolis Pupul, Letter to Yu

Bolis Pupul has put out his debut solo album, Letter to Yu. Following the producer and singer-songwriter’s 2022 album with Charlotte Adigéry, Topical Dancer, the 11-track collection was made with Soulwax, and it serves as a love letter to Pupul’s late mother, who passed away in 2008 in a traffic accident. “When I started to think about my roots, I started to embrace them,” Pupul, who was born to a Belgian father and a Chinese mother, said in press materials. “And it became more and more important for me to get in touch with them. I went to evening school and began learning Chinese. I did that for four years. That was the first step.” The LP was previewed by the singles ‘Spicy Crab’ and ‘Completely Half’.

Tomato Flower, No

No is the debut full-length by the Baltimore-based band Tomato Flower, following their 2022 EPs Gold Arc and Construction. Out now via Ramp Local, the 12-track effort includes the previously released singles ‘Temple of the Mind’, ‘Saint’, and ‘Harlequin’. Mike Alfieri, Ruby Mars, Jamison Murphy, and Austyn Wohlers made the album entirely in person, recording in a studio rather than a bedroom for the first time. One of its conceptual throughlines is the relationship between Wohlers and Murphy, who broke up during the making of the album.

Haux, Blue Angeles

Woodson Black has unveiled Blue Angeles, his sophomore album under the moniker Haux. The follow-up to 2020’s Violence in a Quiet Mind was made with producers Thomas Bartlett, Maxwell Byrne, and Aug E. Rose and recorded in Los Angeles, New York City, and the Berkshires. It finds Black addressing the question, “What happens when we stop running away?” He added, “I needed to grow up to write this record and that isn’t something that just happens overnight. It’s taken me the better part of three years and I needed all of it to be where I am today.”

Other albums out today:

Konradsen, Michael’s Book on Bears; Judas Priest, Invincible Shield; Norah Jones, Visions; Meatbodies, Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom; Slow Hollows, Bullhead; Astrel K, Foreign Department; MIKE & Tony Seltzer, Pinball; Eyelids, No Jigsaw;  Tony Shhnow, Out the Woods; Lamplight, Lamplight; Discovery Zone, Quantum Web; The Hanging Stars, On a Golden Shore; Sonata Arctica, Clear Cold Beyond; Erika Angell, The Obsession With Her Voice.

Lauren Mayberry Releases New Single ‘Change Shapes’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Lauren Mayberry Releases New Single ‘Change Shapes’

Chvrches’ Lauren Mayberry has shared a new single, ‘Change Shapes’. Following the singer’s 2023 solo tracks ‘Are You Awake?’ and ‘Shame’, the song was written by Mayberry, Matt Koma, Cleo Tighe, and Evan Blair, and produced by Koma. Check it out below.

“I feel like I perform to the general public but also play a character inside the internal experience, because there is so much negotiation involved in my existence there,” Mayberry said in a statement. “How do I keep people happy enough that they’ll let me do the creative work that I want to? I feel quite fake and hypocritical sometimes because so much of the narrative around the band is “feminist”, but my experience inside of it hasn’t been a lot of the time. I feel like I did all this work to make things function but when you DO adapt yourself in that way, it’s seen as manipulative, in order to get what you want.”

The Hidden Bite of Binary Options: Binaryoptions.com’s Guide to Fees and Commissions

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The Hidden Bite of Binary Options: Binaryoptions.com’s Guide to Fees and Commissions

“Free to start, pay as you earn,” might be the siren song of binary options trading, luring in beginners with the promise of simplicity and low upfront costs. Yet, as with any financial venture, the devil is in the details—or in this case, in the fees and commissions.

When you dive into the binary options pool, you’re not just swimming with the market sharks; you’re also navigating the often murky waters of associated trading costs. It’s these costs that can nibble away at your profits, turning a successful trade into a break-even endeavor, or worse, a loss.

In this article, experts from Binaryoptions.com will guide you through the main costs associated with this type of trading. Binaryoptions.com is a leading educational platform for those interested in binary trading. Managed by traders with decades of experience, it offers a range of guides for traders of all levels. Once you understand fees and commissions, you can go to Binaryoptions.com and find out more about platforms offering the highest payouts in binary options trading.

Types of Fees and Commissions to Watch For

Entry Costs: The Ticket to Trade

The most visible cost you’ll encounter is the entry fee. Most binary options platforms charge a straightforward admission price, akin to buying a ticket to a high-stakes show. It’s usually a percentage of your trade amount and pays for the platform’s services. While you can’t avoid this fee, you can manage its impact:

  • Compare brokers: Not all brokers charge the same rates. Do your homework and find one with competitive fees.
  • Mind your volume: More trades mean more fees. Make each trade count and avoid unnecessary volume.

Withdrawal Woes: Accessing Your Earnings

Profits in hand, you’re ready to enjoy the fruits of your savvy predictions, but withdrawal fees can be a sting in the tail. These are charges you incur when you pull money out of your trading account. They can be a flat rate or a percentage of the withdrawal amount. Mitigate these fees by:

  • Planning your withdrawals: Don’t withdraw every small win. Consolidate your profits and withdraw larger amounts less frequently.
  • Understanding the terms: Some platforms offer a number of free withdrawals per month. Schedule your withdrawals to make the most of these offers.

Inactivity Fees: The Cost of Complacency

The binary options market favors the active trader. If you leave your account dormant, you may be charged an inactivity fee. This is the platform’s way of nudging you back into the game. To avoid this:

  • Stay active: Even if you’re not trading, log in regularly and keep abreast of market trends.
  • Keep track of time: Know how long you can leave your account idle before the fee kicks in and plan accordingly.

Commissions: The Slice of Success

Brokers may take a commission from your trades, a small slice of your success. This could be a fixed fee per trade or a percentage of your profits. To manage commissions:

  • Weigh the cost-benefit: A broker with higher commissions but superior tools and support might be worth the extra cost.
  • Factor it into your strategy: Your trading strategy should account for commissions as a cost of doing business.

Currency Conversion Fees: Trading Across Borders

If you’re trading in a currency different from your deposit currency, conversion fees can apply. These are usually hidden in the currency exchange rate offered by the platform. To navigate these fees:

  • Consider your currency: Trade in your home currency whenever possible.
  • Monitor exchange rates: Try to choose the most profitable rates and explore different payment systems for a variety of options.

Incorporating Costs into Your Trading Strategy

Your trading strategy should not only be about when to call or put but also about how to optimize your transactions to reduce fees. This means:

  • Choosing the right broker: Before you choose a broker, compare their fee structures. Look for transparency and choose brokers with competitive and straightforward fees.
  • Calculating break-even points: Know what your break-even point is on trades after factoring in all costs.
  • Volume trading discounts: Some brokers offer lower fees for higher volume trading. If you trade frequently, find a platform that rewards this activity.
  • Trial runs: Use a demo account to understand how fees affect your trading, without risking actual funds.

In Conclusion: The Cost of Doing Business

Binary options trading can be a thrilling endeavor, but like any financial activity, it comes with its share of costs. However, you can use these strategies to manage and minimize fees:

  1. Read the fine print: Before signing on the virtual dotted line, understand every fee in your broker’s terms and conditions.
  2. Plan your budget: Factor all potential fees into your trading budget. Your profit targets should account for these extra costs.
  3. Maintain activity: Keep an eye on inactivity clauses. Trade regularly, but meaningfully, to avoid unnecessary charges.
  4. Consolidate withdrawals: Plan your cash-outs to minimize withdrawal fees. It might be better to withdraw larger amounts less frequently.
  5. Seek value: If you’re paying extra for account management or advice, ensure it’s truly benefiting your trading strategy.

With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to make trading a more profitable activity and reduce the chance of getting some unpleasant surprises from your broker.

In the Limelight: The Cultural Impact of Shows in Chicago

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In the Limelight: The Cultural Impact of Shows in Chicago

In the heart of the Midwest lies a city pulsating with cultural vibrancy and artistic flair: Chicago. Renowned for its rich history, diverse communities, and vibrant arts scene, Chicago stands as a beacon of creativity and expression. 

Central to this cultural tapestry are the shows that grace its theaters, concert halls, and performance venues, captivating audiences and enriching lives in profound ways. 

In this article, we delve into the significance of shows in Chicago, exploring their impact on individuals, communities, and the city’s identity as a cultural powerhouse.

A Hub of Artistic Expression

Chicago’s shows serve as a showcase for the city’s diverse artistic talent, spanning a wide range of genres and disciplines. From Broadway musicals and theatrical productions to symphony concerts and comedy shows, there’s something for everyone in Chicago’s bustling entertainment scene. 

These shows not only entertain but also inspire, challenging perceptions, provoking thought, and stirring emotions in audiences of all ages. Shows in Chicago not only contribute to the city’s vibrant cultural landscape but also attract visitors from far and wide, eager to experience the magic of live performances in one of the world’s most renowned entertainment hubs.

Moreover, Chicago’s shows contribute to the city’s reputation as a hub of artistic innovation and experimentation. With world-class theaters such as the Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the city provides a platform for both established artists and emerging talents to share their work and push the boundaries of creative expression. 

Whether it’s groundbreaking new plays, avant-garde performances, or boundary-pushing music concerts, Chicago’s shows reflect the city’s spirit of innovation and artistic excellence. Shows in Chicago not only entertain but also contribute to the city’s cultural legacy, enriching the lives of residents and visitors alike with unforgettable experiences and lasting memories.

Nurturing Community Connections

Beyond their artistic significance, shows in Chicago play a vital role in nurturing community connections and fostering a sense of belonging. The shared experience of attending a show brings people together, creating opportunities for cultural exchange, dialogue, and mutual appreciation. 

Whether it’s gathering with friends and family for a night at the theater or meeting fellow music enthusiasts at a concert, these shared experiences strengthen social bonds and create lasting memories. Moreover, Chicago’s shows often celebrate the city’s rich cultural heritage and diverse communities, showcasing stories and perspectives that resonate with audiences from all walks of life. 

From productions that explore the immigrant experience to performances that highlight the contributions of marginalized communities, these shows foster empathy, understanding, and solidarity among Chicagoans, reinforcing the city’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive place for all.

Economic Impact and Tourism

In addition to their cultural significance, shows in Chicago have a significant economic impact on the city, driving tourism, supporting local businesses, and generating revenue for the arts industry. Each year, millions of visitors flock to Chicago to experience its world-class entertainment offerings, injecting billions of dollars into the local economy.

From hotel bookings and restaurant reservations to ticket sales and souvenir purchases, the ripple effects of Chicago’s shows are felt throughout the city, supporting jobs and fueling economic growth. Moreover, Chicago’s reputation as a cultural destination is closely tied to its shows, attracting tourists from around the world who come to experience the city’s vibrant arts scene firsthand. 

Whether it’s catching a Broadway blockbuster at the historic Cadillac Palace Theatre or attending a jazz performance at the iconic Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, visitors are drawn to Chicago by the promise of unforgettable entertainment experiences that showcase the city’s unique cultural identity.

A Source of Inspiration and Aspiration

Finally, shows in Chicago serve as a source of inspiration and aspiration for aspiring artists and performers, offering a glimpse into the possibilities of a career in the arts. 

For many young people growing up in Chicago, attending a show can be a transformative experience, igniting a passion for creativity and instilling the belief that their dreams are within reach. 

Whether it’s seeing themselves represented on stage or being moved by the talent and dedication of performers, these experiences plant the seeds of artistic ambition and fuel the desire to pursue a career in the arts.

Final Thoughts

Shows in Chicago hold immense significance for individuals, communities, and the city as a whole. From their role as a showcase for artistic talent to their impact on community connections, economic vitality, and cultural identity, Chicago’s shows enrich lives in countless ways, shaping the city’s cultural landscape and inspiring future generations of artists and audiences alike. 

As Chicago continues to evolve as a cultural powerhouse, its shows will remain a cornerstone of its identity, celebrating creativity, diversity, and the enduring power of the performing arts.

Mei Semones Unveils New Single ‘Tegami’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Mei Semones Unveils New Single ‘Tegami’

The 23-year-old Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Mei Semones has released a new single, ‘Tegami’. Check it out along with a live version of the track below.

“‘Tegami’ was my first time experimenting with Bossa Nova style music in odd meters,” Semones explained in a statement. “It’s a love song. My partner likes to write me letters, but I’m not very good at writing letters back. So instead I wrote this song, hence the name of the song ‘Tegami’ which means ‘letter’ in Japanese. I think the range of style is really noticeable in this song, and it’s one of our more ambitious string arrangements with lots of intricate lines & textures.”

‘Tegami’ will appear on Semones’ Bayonet Records debut, Kabutomushi, which is out April 5, alongside the previously released ‘Inaka’.

Sampha and Romy Cover André 3000’s ‘Me & My (To Bury Your Parents)’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Sampha and Romy Cover André 3000’s ‘Me & My (To Bury Your Parents)’

Sampha has teamed up with the xx’s Romy for a cover of André 3000’s 2018 ballad ‘Me & My (To Bury Your Parents)’. The recording is featured on the latest edition of Sampha’s Apple Music 1 show Wave Therapy, which subscribers can listen to here.

Sampha shared the following statement about the collaboration:

I’ve known Romy a while and she’s someone who I can talk to about certain things and we’ve been through similar things and similar experiences, she’s lost her parents and so have I and she was, I guess, someone who’s spoken about this stuff and I think she wanted to talk to someone who has done that and I guess we kind of had this conversation out in the open. You know the reason I called my album ‘Process’ is because sometimes it’s good to externalise things and create a dialogue and you might find yourself, somewhere a little bit more enlightened potentially or even sometimes it’s just nice to have someone to empathise with or sympathise with.

In the studio session we did a cover of Andre 3000’s ‘Me & My (To Bury Your Parents)’ and yeah that song really hit me deep because I’d made my own song called, ‘(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano’ which was about my mother and I kind of felt, I wouldn’t say as guilty but I questioned, you know, releasing and writing a song that was so sort of personal to me. But at the time I really couldn’t think about anything else, it was just what was coming out of me. Hearing one of my favourite musicians also meditate on his feelings of loss and just how that relationship with your parents can be it made me feel (kind of) heard and okay to express myself in this way. Not necessarily everybody has to do but that’s how I felt like processing some of my grief and, I feel like Romy has been in a similar place so it was a special song to cover together.

Sampha’s latest album, Lahai, came out in October. Also last year, Romy released her debut solo album, Mid Air.

 

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The Marías Announce New Album ‘Submarine’, Share New Song ‘Run Your Mouth’

Konstantinos Pappis
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The Marías Announce New Album ‘Submarine’, Share New Song ‘Run Your Mouth’

The Marías have announced their sophomore album, Submarine. The follow-up to the Los Angeles band’s 2021 debut Cinema is out May 31 via Nice Life Recording Company/Atlantic Records. Today’s announcement comes with the release of the new single ‘Run Your Mouth’, which is accompanied by a video from director Bethany Vargas. Check it out below.

“This was one of the first songs Josh and I wrote on Submarine,” María Zardoya said of ‘Run Your Mouth’ in a statement. “I was conflict avoidant at the time and whenever someone wanted to talk about something serious, I’d run and hide. I learned that was a protective mechanism and I didn’t have the capacity to open up. There’s no other song on the album like it and I hope you dance to this one.”

Earlier this year, the Marías collaborated with producer Eyedress on the singles ‘Separate Ways’ and ‘A Room Up in the Sky’.

Greg Mendez, They Are Gutting a Body of Water, and SUN ORGAN Collaborate on New Song ‘krillin’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Greg Mendez, They Are Gutting a Body of Water, and SUN ORGAN Collaborate on New Song ‘krillin’

Philadelphia’s Greg Mendez, They Are Gutting a Body of Water, and SUN ORGAN have teamed up for a new track called ‘krillin’. It arrives with a video directed by Rhys Scarabosio, which you can check out below.

“I met Greg when he lived in Chinatown,” TAGABOW’s Doug Dulgarian explained in a statement. In the hallway to his apartment, going up the stairs; the first time I came over to his house, there was a chicken wing on the landing. I came back two months later and the chicken wing was still there. I met Buzz Jordan (Sun Organ) after he played my backyard when he was playing in Nyxy Nyx. I had this ‘Krillin’ song half written, and I hit up Greg. We decided to hit up Buzz together.”

Greg Mendez added, “Douglas and I tried finishing this song with a metal band practicing on the other side of the wall, but it only started to make sense when we got to Buzz’s studio. I love TAGABOW and Sun Organ.”

SUN ORGAN’s Buzz Jordan commented, “Greg and Doug are the GOATS, it was rad to work with both of them at Blood Red Sky.”

Mendez released his self-titled album in May 2023.

Album Review: Bleachers, ‘Bleachers’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Album Review: Bleachers, ‘Bleachers’

Just minutes before their conversation comes to an end, Zane Lowe tells Jack Antonoff to shut up. The pair have been waxing on about process, grief, and collaboration – including, of course, working with Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey – but when the Bleachers frontman and superproducer casually mentions getting to know street skating champion Rodney Mullen, Lowe flips out, looks back at the crew, and says, “You know how much of a flexer this guy is? You won’t even realize he’s flexing on you until you’re sitting with him at Electric Lady Studios for four hours and he tells you he’s friends with Rodney Mullen.” Antonoff lets out a small laugh and proceeds to tell the story, which explains one of the most enlightening moments on Bleachers’ new self-titled album, a quote from Mullen that gives the Tony Hawk documentary Until the Wheels Fall Off its name: “I wish I could relate the intagibles to you,” he says, faced with the question of what drives him to keep going. “My guess,” he pauses, “is that we’re all built the same.”

Consider that this comes at the end of a song called ‘Ordinary Heaven’, which could have been the title track, and it immediately scans as Antonoff’s own ‘Judah Smith Interlude’. But while Lana Del Rey’s recording of a sermon by the controversial megachurch pastor was strangely immersive, Mullen’s quote is lifted out of context as a form of reverence – have zero idea of who this guy is and you’d guess he’s an artist or spiritual figure of some sort, someone in Antonoff’s circle who happened to say something profound while the mic was on. His own idea of ordinary heaven is to be someone’s witness, and his job is to keep track of it – not a bad metaphor for the producer’s role, which Antonoff embraces as he lets Mullen’s words encapsulate what he’s spent the whole album trying to lyrically relay: the borderline stupidity of sticking to a childhood dream, of wanting to be seen for what you’ve got to give, drawing a line between the lonely and the holy. Bleachers doesn’t sound effortless – part of the appeal is how hard Antonoff tries to get a very particular feeling across, knowing it’s bound to get muddled – but for every moment where he swings for the fences, there’s another where he sits back and lets the magic happen. It’s the band’s best yet.

Bleachers’ last album, Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night, was messier in its attempt to deliver propulsive and anthemic songs alongside quietly hazy ones, but Bleachers strikes a more delicate balance, and it uses its shakiness to its advantage. As a self-titled album, it’s forced to consider what makes a Bleachers song a Bleachers song, and the first single, ‘Modern Girl’, offers the most typical example: bright, shouty, and infectious, indebted to the ‘80s but modern enough in its references to warrant inclusion on the final season of Netflix’s Sex Education. ‘Self Respect’ and ‘Tiny Moves’ work in a similarly upbeat mode but toy with different ends of it. ‘Self Respect’ is even brasher and more theatrical, roaring to the declaration, “Destroying somebody’s  life as a means of saying/ I’m still here and I’m still playing.” ‘Tiny Moves’ has a lush sheen to it but refrains from going too wild, as if not to distract from the image Antonoff conjures in the lyrics, which is depicted quite literally in the video, choreographed by and starring his wife, Margaret Qualley.

“I’m so tired of having self-respect,” Antonoff sings with striking directness. In musical terms, maybe that lack of respectability translates to having loads of saxophone, which he promptly squeezes out of ‘Tiny Moves’ before it explodes, or using outmoded production techniques. But Bleachers have always been bombastic in nature, retro to the point of pastiche, nostalgic as a means of escapism – what the new album achieves is being a little more reckless in the quieter moments, juxtaposing grandeur with real vulnerability. It’s almost painful to hear Antonoff’s voice crack as he howls the titular promise of ‘We’re Gonna Know Each Other Forever’, nothing like the last album’s ‘Stop Making This Hurt’, but it’s like, yes, finally – all that misty-eyed sentimentality, the kind he sings about protecting on the affecting ‘Isimo’, finally tearing up. We know Bleachers is a vehicle for Antonoff’s earnestness, but even in that context it can be toned down for the sake of taste – it’s refreshing to hear him really lean into it, whether he’s yelling and upping the tempo or huddling over the microphone, muttering scenes from the old days.

The question a self-titled album poses, of course, isn’t just musical but philosophical, and to that, Antonoff doesn’t provide a single answer. Bleachers is his band, enabling moments like the ending of ‘me before you’, where acoustic guitar, sax, and drums flourish dreamily in the shadows. It’s also, inevitably, his band: the space Antonoff carves out for himself, swirling in thought, making sense of his journey – less abstractly this time, compelled to focus and reframe it as a result of the right one coming along (‘Woke Up Today’). He can’t shake off his nerdy and methodical production instincts, less interested in always finding the best hooks than ways to make them more interesting, like the groove that comes slightly out of left field on ‘Ordinary Heaven’ and clicks the whole thing into place. He can’t help but flex, too, “messing around” with Lana Del Rey and turning it into a song, inviting Clairo and Bartees Strange to sing backup; St. Vincent and Florence Welch appear elsewhere. It’s squaring up the collective “we” in ‘Modern Girl’ with the perception of him being a “pop music hoarder” – his words, not mine. But then there’s the ultimate proposition, which is that Bleachers is all of us, or for those of us: “The tired on the wire/ The born strange desired.” It might be the thing that makes you go, Oh, shut up. Or it might just make you believe.

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