As a fervent Lumineers fan, I stand by the assertion The Lumineers can do no wrong. This being said, I could not help but experience a slight disappointment upon listening to “Automatic,” the band’s latest album. Following the perfection that was “Brightside,” The Lumineers’ 2022 release, “Automatic” simply lacked that “wow” factor for me. It is still an enjoyable listen, though, and well deserving of four out of five big Oles.
But first, for my credentials. I first discovered the group in 2019, when, as you may remember, their song “Ophelia” was a trending TikTok sound. Intrigued by the group’s catchy lyrics and dynamic sound, I immediately hopped over to Spotify to hear what other songs the band had to offer. And, just like that, the group had a new fan.
Fast forward to 2022, when the band released their album “Brightside” and soon after published tour dates to showcase their new music. I will spare you the details, but in an odd turn of events, I came into possession of two floor tickets to see them perform at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore. While I’m not a religious individual, that concert was nothing short of a religious experience. To hear Wesley Schulz talk about the inspiration for “Where We Are?” So. Cool. The “Birthday” encore, complete with balloons and streamers? A fantastic touch.The solo vocals in tandem with the piano on “Donna?” I was in tears. So, I suppose it is fair to say that my expectations going into Feb. 14 — a brilliant choice of release date, I might add — were fairly high.
It is these sky-high expectations that are certainly to be blamed for the one missing star on my review. As previously stated, it is not that there is anything wrong with “Automatic.” It’s just that there is nothing that makes it special, that makes it different from any of the other music The Lumineers have produced. Perhaps this is actually to the group’s credit — if it’s not broken, don’t fix it, right? All 32 minutes of the album do, in fact, contain all the elements of why I love the band so much. The perfectly imperfect voices, the dynamic mesh of vocals, piano, percussion, and guitar — I cannot deny — are all there.
One final addendum. If my judgement were based solely on one song, that which shares the album name, it would receive a perfect five stars. “Automatic” — the song — is exactly the heart-wrenching combination of lyrics and piano chords that deliver the “wow” factor I was looking for.
Rating: 4/5 big Oles
