AJR Grows Up in “Neotheater”

AJR grew up on April 26, 2019, releasing “Neotheater,” an album that delves deep into the intricacies of adulthood. AJR is comprised of three brothers (Adam, Jack, and Ryan) who started making music in the early to mid-2000s and made it big with their song “I’m Ready,” a SpongeBob sampling dance track, in 2013. Since then they’ve been making genre-bending music that draws inspiration from pop, hip hop, EDM, rock, doo-wop, and folk. Their 2017 album, “The Click,” was moderately successful, but did tote the hit single “Weak,” in which AJR sings about their insecurities and comes to the realization that there’s nothing wrong with being unable to resist temptations.

Now two years later, AJR released “Neotheater,” a 12-song body of work that is largely structured like a musical. With the first few notes, the opening act begins. A large choir sings, chimes swell, the pianos kick in, Neotheater’s figurative curtains are drawn open, and AJR readies themselves for their big performance.

After the introductory song in “Next Up Forever,” the album starts from the beginning: a song about blissful ignorance as an infant, and from there, the brothers’ journey through late nights, moving out, heartbreak, boredom, temptation, and more. In just over 44 minutes, AJR manages to capture the joy, frustration, and depth that comes with growing up. For three brothers in their twenties, the level of intricacy and thought that was put into this body of work is astonishing. Songs like “Karma” and “100 Bad Days” showcase the brothers’ insights into life, love, and adulthood. After all the songs are over and the performance in the “Neotheater” is done, a finale plays, where AJR lays all of their final doubts, concerns, and angst out on the table before they depart. An album that begins with some level of naiveté and ignorance ends with wistful spite toward growing up, as goes the story of every child learning to be an adult.

But could a pop album with such poignant subject matter really have so much attention put toward the production as well? The answer is an unflinching yes. The number of different styles, themes, and sounds put into the instrumentals is overwhelming in all the best ways, and the vocal mixing and pitching is done flawlessly, allowing the brothers to alter and shift their vocals as they please with exceptional results. The production on tracks like “Don’t Throw Out My Legos,” which is an all-out explosion of noise spanning every genre in the book, and “Beats,” which provides a tropical feel to an already diverse album, should induce smiles, no matter what the musical preference is. The percussion is dramatic in songs like “Wow, I’m Not Crazy,” but soft and contemplative on songs like “Finale (We Can’t Wait To See What You Do Next).”

The lyrics of the album are almost always thought-provoking and well put together, but it is somewhat in AJR’s nature to make some cheesy lyrics, and it is signature to their sound. I wouldn’t try to lie in this article and say that every lyric that fills up the work is some kind of beautiful poetry, but every word serves its purpose, which adds to the overall story that makes up “Neotheater.” The most standout lyrics can be found in “The Entertainment’s Here,” a track about our generation’s lack of tolerance for boredom and need for constant distraction. The verses, which are about things the brothers do to distract themselves from inevitable boredom, are juxtaposed with the lyrics in the chorus, “Oh my, oh my God, the entertainment’s here / You don’t even gotta use your brain from here just / Sit back, man / Relax, man / Sit back, man, don’t make plans.”

When you compare “Neotheater” to AJR’s last studio effort, “The Click,” it’s clear that the band has grown considerably, both lyrically and production-wise. “Netflix Trip” from “The Click” featured a thorough dose of cheesiness compared to “The Entertainment’s Here” or “Turning Out Pt. ii,” which provide insight into AJR’s minds and positively adds to the album’s story arc. There is a greater focus on narrative in the new album, as opposed to the almost chaotic lack of attention to tonality and structure in “The Click.” While AJR’s previous album was great, it just doesn’t match the musical prowess displayed in “Neotheater.”

In the end, “Neotheater” is an album that brings AJR to its full strength. It has cheesy lyrics and a tendency to reflect perhaps a bit too heavily on the nostalgia that comes with age, but overall, it works well to see a band work to address their faults and turn their flaws into a distinct sound that makes them instantly recognizable. The production, lyricism, and themes make the album a great alternative to typical top 40 pop hits, and the genre-bending style will guarantee that you will discover new things with each listen.

Best Songs: “The Entertainment’s Here” and “Wow, I’m Not Crazy”

Overall Rating: 9.5/10