Source: NPR
This week, indie-pop band Bleachers gave fans and listeners a wonderful surprise when they debuted their most recent single, “91.” Led by frontman Jack Antonoff, the ensemble performed the song as part of their setlist for their Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts appearance.
Tiny Desk Concerts is a highly popular video series of live concerts organized by the National Public Radio, Inc. at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. However, as the pandemic spread, it became nearly impossible to organize these live events, so NPR Music had to adapt. Renaming it to Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts, artists are now asked to record virtual performances.
Bleachers shot their episode in a warm and sunny location outside of Electric Lady Studios in Manhattan, in the same studio where their third and unreleased album called Take The Sadness Out of Saturday Night was recorded. The group played three numbers from the album, including “Stop Making This Hurt” and “Chinatown.” However, the highlight of the show was the debut performance of the track “91.”
Listeners were delighted to hear yet another one of the album’s songs, as they had been waiting for quite some time for the album to be released. In a previous interview, Jack Antonoff had teased a few details about the song and the album in general. He also revealed that “91” was co-written by world-renowned essayist and novelist Zadie Smith, known for her award-winning novels.
However, the singer has given a disclaimer and clarified that the performances seen on the mini-concert were toned-down versions of the songs with just the piano, keyboards, and saxophone backing the vocals. He went on to share that the studio-recorded version of “91” features strings arranged by Annie Clark, professionally known as the musician St. Vincent and performed on violin by Warren Ellis of the Bad Seeds.
The video of the group’s performance was uploaded on NPR Music’s YouTube channel, where the comment section was filled with positive reactions from the public. Many are commending the excellent performance as well as Jack Antonoff’s impeccable songwriting.
Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night is shaping up to be the band’s best and most-awaited album so far. With collaborations from the music industry’s finest, including a Bruce Springsteen feature on “Chinatown.” Singer Lana del Rey also helped write another song called “Don’t Go Dark.”
Throughout 2020, the band has kept supporters on their toes by giving sneak peeks and teasing bits and pieces of their work on their official Twitter account. The single “91” is the fifth track of the album to be publicly released.
The album has gone on a journey, with the first tracks being recorded in 2019. Initially, the band announced that the album would be available sometime in 2020, but it did not happen. However, for fans and listeners alike, waiting for the album, which has been two years in the making, is all worth it, and they are all gearing up for its release.
Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night features ten tracks and is scheduled to drop on July 30.
