bombay bicycle club captivates listeners both new and old with newest lp 'everything else has gone wrong'
Words by Grace Niemiec, photos by Kendall Dennison
In their first full-length project since 2014, English indie rock group Bombay Bicycle Club brings listeners a danceable, yet lyrically complex album. Running at 41 minutes, the band’s newest LP, Everything Else Has Gone Wrong, is fueled by fun production, lead singer Jack Steadman’s delicate vocals, and introspective lyrics.
Given that the group had taken a lengthy six-year break, fans were thrilled to receive the news of a full-length project in 2020 accompanied by the single “Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You).” With a catchy guitar line and a memorable hook, the single reeled in both new and old fans alike. The track was also an excellent insight into the LP that was to come, touching on major themes of existential confusion, doubt, and love. It’s no surprise that the release of the LP in mid-January revealed a tracklist paralleling the single’s two main assets: undeniable danceability and introspective lyrics. Prime examples of this include the title track, “Everything Else Has Gone Wrong,” a poppy tune in which Steadman riffs on hopelessness, and “Do You Feel Loved?”, an anthemic track questioning life and love with abstract lyrical analogies. Like much of the project, these tracks mask commentary on personal issues with bold, and occasionally brassy, instrumentals.
This pattern of diversion does take a backseat in the occasional relaxed track. “Good Day” chooses to take a more withdrawn approach, leading with Steadman’s vocals, which are accompanied only by a simple guitar and drum beat. “Let You Go” does something similar, taking the boldness of the earlier tracks down a notch. However, it continues to captivate the listener with its unique production. Using a sample of a woman singing a simple tune in Mandarin, the group does an excellent job of easing the listener out of this exciting project with a calm performance.
In this new LP, Bombay Bicycle Club successfully makes its return into the indie rock scene after quite a long break— which is no small feat. Through the group’s unique production and lyrics, they not only maintained their fans that anxiously awaited their return over six years, but gathered new ones as well.