Sympathy for Life
A vibrant fusion of nervous post-punk energy and hypnotic dance-floor grooves, trading sharp guitar angles for warm analog synthesizers and rhythmic club-inspired jams.
October 22, 2021 · Rough Trade
A vibrant fusion of nervous post-punk energy and hypnotic dance-floor grooves, trading sharp guitar angles for warm analog synthesizers and rhythmic club-inspired jams.
October 22, 2021 · Rough Trade
Sweaty basement air and pulsing basslines collide with jagged, nervous guitars. Built from long, late-night jams, these tracks trade stiff post-punk angles for warm, analog synthesizer grooves. You can feel the physical pull of a crowded dance floor, where loose rhythms and sharp, spoken vocals turn anxious energy into a communal sweat.
“Instead of party-starting excitement, the band refracts echoes of Can, Bowie, and the Talking Heads at their most abstract for an album that feels tense and bleary, like a party that’s still fun but has burned on for so long that the sun is coming up and things are starting to get weird”Read review
“The NYC quartet capitalize on the critical acclaim of their 2018 breakthrough Wide Awake!”Read review
“Parquet Courts branch out into dance-rock and Madchester textures inspired by the rave’s communal, ecstatic atmosphere on their latest Sympathy for Life”Read review
“Sympathy for Life isn’t a failure as much as it’s just a step down from the indie rock podium. There’s still a lot to admire for longtime Parquet Courts fans here, while the rest just requires some patience and a bit of unconditional love”Read review
“Parquet Courts’s Sympathy for Life proves the band is still capable of writing songs that shine in the same no-frills style as their idols”Read review
“The stunning six-minute closing ballad “Pulcinella” is possibly the most beautiful song Parquet Courts has ever recorded”Read review
“A project as mystifying at it is engaging”Read review
“With sincere, resolute songwriting and a more accessible sound, the latest album from the New York quartet feels more suited than ever for the ecstasy of a crowded club”Read review
“With album seven, the cult heroes navigate more garage-rock designed for the dancefloor but also hurtle into unchartered territory”Read review
“There’s still somewhat of an eclectic feel to Sympathy For Life despite its intended dance focus. Yes, it’s different and at times more uplifting than most Parquet Courts albums, but it’s an album for the band, not for the fans”Read review
How does Sympathy for Life sound next to the rest of Parquet Courts's catalogue?
By trading their usual jagged guitar friction for long, improvised studio jams, the band bathes these tracks in an unprecedented analog warmth that pulses through deep bass pockets and vintage synthesizers.
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