Fate & Alcohol is the fourth and final studio album by the Canadian rock duo Japandroids, released on October 18, 2024, by Anti-.
| Fate & Alcohol | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 18, 2024 | |||
| Studio | Rain City Recorders (Vancouver) | |||
| Length | 36:21 | |||
| Label | Anti- | |||
| Producer |
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| Japandroids chronology | ||||
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Background
editThe duo, composed of David Prowse and Brian King, decided to make Fate & Alcohol their last effort due to several factors. A gulf had grown between the two, both geographically—with King in Michigan and Prowse in Vancouver—and personally.[1] "We started as very close friends, and we've kind of grown apart in a lot of different ways, and this seemed like a natural kind of time to close," Prowse told NPR.[2]
Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 74/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The Guardian |   [4] |
| Pitchfork | 5.9/10[5] |
Fate & Alcohol received mostly positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 74, based on 12 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[3]
Paste's Eric R. Danton wrote that Fate finds them at the "peak of their power", a "grand finale" both reflective and more mature than past efforts.[6] Craig Howieson of Clash Music called it "the closest they have ever come to perfecting their own sound",[7] while Huw Baines of NME said it "captures the boisterous energy of old while reckoning with their bittersweet farewell."[8] Katie Hawthorne from the Guardian found it middling: "Passionate and bittersweet, Fate & Alcohol is the rare breakup album that suggests this finale is for the best."[4]
Other reviewers were negative. Arielle Gordon of Pitchfork surmised that Fate & Alcohol "comes ready with the booze-soaked conviction, but the keg's finally run dry [...] it strives to rekindle the same spirit that made their first three records sound like the best version of a night of drunken revelry. But with too few innovations and too many well-worn tropes, it lands like those two lonely guys at the bar trying to keep the party going after closing time."[5] Similarly, Brady Gerber at Vulture opined that "this is not how to end your band", calling it a "lazy retread [...] that passionate, life-affirming strain they used to hit in their high notes is gone."[9]
Track listing
editAll lyrics are written by Brian King; all music is composed by Brian King and David Prowse.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Eye Contact High" | 2:29 |
| 2. | "D&T" | 3:05 |
| 3. | "Alice" | 4:28 |
| 4. | "Chicago" | 3:58 |
| 5. | "Upon Sober Reflection" | 4:27 |
| 6. | "Fugitive Summer" | 3:56 |
| 7. | "A Gaslight Anthem" | 2:30 |
| 8. | "Positively 34th Street" | 5:03 |
| 9. | "One Without the Other" | 2:49 |
| 10. | "All Bets Are Off" | 3:32 |
| Total length: | 36:21 | |
Personnel
editJapandroids
- Brian King – guitar, vocals, production
- David Prowse – drums, vocals, production
Technical
- Jesse Gander – production, recording, mixing
- Jason Livermore – mastering
References
edit- ^ Cohen, Ian (September 16, 2024). "The Boys Are Leaving Town: The Final Days Of Japandroids". Stereogum. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ Simon, Scott (October 19, 2024). "David Prowse of indie rock duo Japandroids on their latest". NPR. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ a b "Fate & Alcohol by Japandroids". Metacritic. October 18, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ a b Hawthorne, Katie (October 18, 2024). "Japandroids: Fate & Alcohol review – Canadian duo's bittersweet breakup record". The Guardian. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ a b Gordon, Arielle (October 23, 2024). "Japandroids: Fate & Alcohol". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "Japandroids Wrap Up the Party with Fate & Alcohol". Paste. October 17, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "Fate & Alcohol". Clash. October 17, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ Baines, Huw (October 16, 2024). "Japandroids – 'Fate & Alcohol' review: a fitting send-off for these recklessly romantic rock greats". NME. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ Gerber, Brady (October 23, 2024). "This Is Not How to End Your Band". Vulture. Retrieved October 28, 2024.