Oof. A new Andrés album. That’s not anything against the artist himself but my own perceived ability to process what’s going on and somehow articulate it in a way that you, the reader, will grasp what this album is about in the larger context of an endless sea of “content.”
Let’s start at the beginning. Andrés has been mixing disparate genres for years now and releasing music at a frantic pace. This is his fourth full length under his own name, not including previous monikers. Excluding 2020 he has dropped a new full-length each year (none of that EP nonsense). Along the way he’s done collaborations with Strawberry Girls, Kurt Travis, and more. I guess that gives some idea of where Andrés sits sonically—this pseudo-swancore, tinges of math rock, and some accessible post-hardcore mixed in for good measure.
But to end there would be remiss. Each album has expanded his sound, but not in any way that’s easy to articulate. That’s to say that the palette of sounds on each release is varied enough that many areas of growth or change are hidden in the minutiae of specific tracks. Some of this involves traces of hip-hop or Latin jazz; some of it is more akin to pop-punk or even just commercial pop. And even despite what’s obviously a wealth of talent, Andrés maintains a sense of humor and humility, making comments about working a movie theatre even as his career “booms” or being a weeb. Now, I can’t attest that’s actually how he is in person, but at least on tape, there isn’t a trace of pretense.
So, Adventures of a DIY Astronaut is basically more of this. And this feels like a cheap way to put things, but in some ways it’s good to know what to expect—in this case, technical, jazz-influenced rock with elements of hip-hop (saying groove is fundamental here is an understatement). The core audience is probably former emo kids, nonetheless. And hey, not every artist needs to reinvent entirely.
Much like Eidola, Andrés has padded the front half of the album with singles. Several thoughts on this: first, that “Prom 2012” is one of the best tracks I’ve heard this year for the pre-chorus alone; second, this gets a little tiring because it sets the expectation that the latter half will be weaker, regardless of the validity of that statement. But before we dive too far ahead, let’s take a look at the different singles.
“Shit Could Be Worse” is anthemic, if solely for its name—which also of course is a fundamental part of the chorus. It’s a reminder that, well, things could be worse. It’s hard to be objective at times when you’re stuck inside your own mind ,and the world seems to be drifting further apart. There’s a call to see the beauty in life. Sure, it’s delivered with a bit of a frat boy tone more than that of a “true poet,” but Andrés speaks the common language.
“Prom 2012” will have you wondering if you too were also attending prom in 2012. I wasn’t, and I feel old. Thanks for that. The song opens with a keyboard riff with a bit of Latin flavor that ultimately resurfaces as the main vocal hook. The pre-chorus, as I mentioned earlier, is incredibly catchy and the underlying synth line really pulls everything together. The music video shows some great choreography and assures me that, yes, you can successfully film a video in an arcade.
The third single is “My Future Ex Wife,” which is playful commentary on the instability of relationships. A guest feature from fellow post-hardcore act Happy Hour reminds us the collaborative element is still alive and well, and it pays off.
All together, the singles do help set some type of precedent for an album that doesn’t necessarily live up these expectations. Elsewhere, you have piano ballads, guest rappers, and references to making hentai. It’s… interesting. I’m not going to pretend it all clicks. But that’s also not anything new when it comes to my relationship with Andrés either. And I’ve withheld this detail so far because I understand I’m probably part of the problem in some respects, and also because even with this in mind, I still have a lot of respect for what he’s doing. He’s unfiltered, both lyrically and in terms of stylistic approach. I don’t always agree with what he’s doing or saying, but it’s clear he’s not trying to set up the same sort of image or porcelain persona most artists go for.
“Maybe what I’m hungry for was never gunna be listed on the menu,” he laments on “A Nice Soft Painless Lie.” It’s a phrase that sums up his relational tension, but it also seems to apply to his vision as an artist. He’s not playing the same sort of game his compatriots are, even with his bouts of collaboration. And even in his moments of talking about how he “just wants to party” or falling in love with a girl he met at Comic Con, he acknowledges some of the futility (and comedy) of his actions. Some of the comedy is musical as well. Genres typically wielded by scholars and savants become the backdrop to these humble ramblings. It’s hard to know exactly how to feel at times. That’s probably okay.
One thing that does set this album apart from its predecessors is the upward momentum. Once Upon A Time In Bakersfield saw Andrés decked in a showtune outfit, and its title was a nod both to the story of his life and also his job cleaning up at the movies. But this title, and the accompanying themes, suggest a turning point.
“I went from hanging at Whitney’s Apartment to working at restaurants every night
These days I’m chilling at Cameron’s apartment and music is paying my bills, but shit hasn’t changed that much has it?”
It’s not all hopeful, but it’s progress. He’s realized partying can’t get him through life. He doesn’t need some of the failed relationships. And even the traction he’s getting from music isn’t solving all of his problems. His honesty should be sobering for anyone looking to be involved in any creative field. And he’s worked his way there through the good and bad in true DIY style.
Adventures of a DIY Astronaut is then the newest installment of a biographical catalog. It sees some definite hits paired with quirky quips and a fair bit of confident sass. Not everything will click instantly, but I can’t deny the underlying talent at play. Each new album manages to give me a few of my top-played tracks of the year, and that alone makes Andrés worth checking out.
0 Comments