After spending a long time on 2016's
Breakin' Point and farming out production duties to a raft of high-profile producers who added a layer of studio sheen to everything,
Peter Bjorn and John decided to get back to basics for their next record, 2018's
Darker Days. They quickly headed back into the studio to cut basic tracks for a follow-up, then spent time together and apart honing and refining the songs. The result is nothing like the overcooked mess of
Breakin' Point; it's far more reminiscent of their earlier work like
Falling Out, but with a more mature and darker outlook. They sound rejuvenated and confident throughout, using all the production tricks they've learned over the years in service of a batch of tuneful, meaningful, and memorable songs. Each member of the band turns in at least one song that would fit nicely on a greatest-hits collection;
Peter's "One for the Team" is an easy-rolling call to arms that splits the difference between Uptown Soul and
Spoon,
Bjorn's "Gut Feeling" has a propulsive energy that harkens back to "Young Folks," and
John's "Every Other Night" is a snappy, nocturnal rocker. These three tracks lead the album off with a bang that would be hard to follow if the trio weren't at the top of their game. They are, though, and the mix of peppy pop songs, like the almost giddy "Living the Dream," cold as black ice ballads ("Velvet Sky") and snaky dance songs ("Sick and Tired") is diverse and the production is as note-perfect as one might expect it to be. Getting back to recording the way they used to has paid big dividends for the group. This record almost totally erases the bad feelings brought on by the failure of
Breakin' Point and serves as a reminder of how great a band they are when it all comes together. It might not quite hit the heights on a consistent level like Writer's Block or have the emotional power of Living Thing, but
Darker Days proves that the band are back on the right track. ~ Tim Sendra