Comeback Kid＜限定盤/Pink Vinyl＞

Lake Street Diveの創設メンバーであり不朽の名曲の数々を手がけた米国アイオワ出身でブルックリンを拠点とするBridget Kearney。ヴィンテージ・シンセと繊細かつドライヴ感のあるパーカッションに彩られたサウンドに彼女の透明感のあるボーカルが漂う正統派のポップミュージック。

As the bassist and main songwriter for the Brooklyn-based Lake Street Dive, Bridget Kearney has garnered acclaim for crafting hooky pop anthems that draw upon her and her bandmates love of classic soul, sunshine pop, and dance music. Its an eclectic vibe shes also championed on her solo work, including 2017s Wont Let You Down and 2023s Snakes of Paradise; albums that found her embracing a mix of melodic rock and sophisticated indie pop. With 2024s Comeback Kid, she further hones this end of her pop career, crafting memorable songs that are as likable and infectious as anything shes done with LSD. Many of the songs on Comeback Kid were written while Kearney was teaching songwriting at Princeton University and participating in a song-a-day challenge. While its unclear how many of these songs came out of that process, theres a feeling of relaxed, yet honed skill at work here, as if Kearney effortlessly constructs beautiful and wry metaphors for relationships, both lasting and tragically fleeting. Its a style that brings to mind the work of artists like Elvis Costello and Aimee Mann and one which benefits from the contributions of her production partner Dan Molad. Best known as the drummer and producer of Lucius, Molad has worked with a diverse array of performers, including JD McPherson, Pavo Pavo, and Here We Go Magic. With Kearney, he brings an organic, analog aesthetic to the table as they frame her dusky vocals in both woody and liquid bass, humming old-school synths and guitars, and crisp drum grooves. Cuts like "If Youre Driving," "Security Camera," and "Roman Sunset" are immediately catchy AM radio-sounding tracks that nicely recall the 80s work of artists like Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac. Equally potent is "Obsessed," a keyboard-driven midtempo ballad that sounds like it was culled from the soundtrack to an 80s romantic comedy. She also dips into her soul roots on "Dont Think About the Polar Bear," bringing along saxophonist Jeremy Udden for an earthy, hip-hop-jazz-sounding solo. With Comeback Kid, Kearney reaffirms the notion that shes the quiet creative center of Lake Street Dive, crafting a low-key, yet utterly accomplished album that sticks with you. ~ Matt Collar