Deadshirt

Kowalski’s first album arrives at a point roughly seven years into their career. I say roughly, because, apart from a Facebook profile, Twitter handle, and Bandcamp page, the band has a virtually non-existent online presence. In this day and age, it’s vaguely surprising for a band so old to be so far behind in the game; after releasing two EP’s (2006’s Are You Noisy, Sunshine State? and 2010’s Take Care, Take Flight), Kowalski all but disappeared before returning earlier this year to announce a new LP. It seems that taking it slow paid off, because that album has finally arrived, and it is beautiful and polished, and does not at all sound like a band releasing their first record.

It’s impossible, unfortunately, to talk about Kowalski without at least a mention of the vastly more well-known Two Door Cinema Club; both bands, hailing from Bangor, Ireland, exhibit an impeccable pop sensibility and a taste for sunny guitars, dancehall beats, and lilting vocals. But in the time it took for vocalist Louis Price, keyboard and guitarist Paddy Conn, bassist Tom O’Hara and drummer Paddy Baird to produce an album, TDCC released two LP’s to critical acclaim and matured from fresh-faced high school graduates to poised festival headliners. Kowalski’s relative anonymity belies their mature songwriting, and with For The Love Of Letting Go, they’re poised for the same manner of breakout as their successful hometown kin.

The first thing one might notice about For The Love Of Letting Go is that it sounds strikingly BIG. Melodic, echo-laden guitar lines and buoyant buzzy synth abound, as Price’s breathy, earnest vocals float above the energetic arrangements. Where Two Door have honed their brand of dance-pop to be economical and razor-sharp, Kowalski goes the other way with it, embracing maximalist arrangements and drenching everything in hazy reverb that envelops the listener – the experience is nearly visceral. This is a pure summertime record; breezy melodies and vaguely-tropical lead guitar lines evoke hazy shorelines and midnight bonfires.

Previously released tracks “While We Drive” and “Outdoors” return; both retain their immediacy as slices of radio-ready pop goodness, but I found new appreciation for them when placed in the context of the album. The one-two punch of opener “Forfey” and foot-stomping “Sunroom” are cleverly positioned in such a way that I had to double-check to make sure they were, in fact, separate tracks. Other highlights of the album include slow burner “Longer The Night Lasts” and the gorgeous, soaring “Ribbons.” There isn’t a wasted track here; even at a hefty 45 minute running time, no song overstays its welcome. The album flows nicely, which I tend to appreciate, with clever studio trickery and synth noodles tying the separate songs together into one contiguous entity.

The climax of the album, however, doesn’t arrive until the ninth track. “Get Back,” the only returning song from the tragically short Take Care, Take Flight, is the definitive sound of the band. On the EP it was the standout track, with a monumental gang chorus and keyboard hooks for days; here, it has been rerecorded to great effect, building to a howling maelstrom of guitar and synth overload that leaves you breathless as it dissolves without warning. It’s a monolithic piece of music, and it’s not hard to see why Kowalski was compelled to bring it back three years later. It reads as a mission statement – a thank you to longtime fans, a promise that the band is just getting started. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait another seven years for a follow-up.

For The Love Of Letting Go is available for a price of your choosing at the band’s Bandcamp.