japandroids new album near To The Wild Heart Of Life

That's intentional: Japandroids are nothing if not earnest, the kind of sincerity endemic to teenagers ready to break free of their small town. Past is always present in their music, whether rose-colored memories of teenage rebellion or recycled components of classic rock and punk, which makes Near to the Wild Heart of Life an ideal soundtrack for those mourning their long-forgotten adolescence. If the band stockpiled songs during that half decade, it's impossible to tell from Near to the Wild Heart of Life because it lasts eight songs, just like the two other Japandroids albums and just like so many of the band's favorite records. Japandroids essayed this thesis on Celebration Rock, the 2012 album that turned them into something of a cause célèbre in certain quarters - namely, any old rocker waiting for a new savior - but instead of immediately exploiting their fame, the duo took an extended hiatus, taking five years to deliver Near to the Wild Heart of Life. The Canadian duo believe rock & roll is the music of youthful liberation, distilled freedom that retains the possibility of transcendence no matter how often the promise is repeated.

Minimalist traditionalists in an era of digital indulgence, Japandroids adhere to a very specific idea of rock & roll.

Japandroids new album near To The Wild Heart Of Life