If you have watched any coming-of-age movie made since 2017, chances are you have heard one of Bleachers’ addicting synth-pop songs. Bleachers is a New Jersey-based indie-rock band fronted by musician and singer Jack Antonoff.
Predominantly known for his production work, Antonoff has worked with artists such as Taylor Swift, Lorde, Lana Del Rey and Clairo. In 2024, he won his third consecutive Grammy for Producer of the Year. In Bleachers, he shines as both an impressive lyricist and a powerful singer. On March 8, 2024, the band released its self-titled fourth album, “Bleachers.” This 14-track record is markedly different from the band’s previous pop anthems; it is more reminiscent of ‘80s rock and jazz than of their usual bedroom synth-pop.
The album opens with a track titled “I Am Right On Time.” In a 50-second-long intro, Antonoff layers in piano, clean electric guitars and a driving synth before introducing vocals. This track sets the tone for the rest of the album in its overarching themes of reflection, reminiscence and retrospection. In the chorus, he sings: “My mind is mirrors, don’t know what is and what’s reflection/ The future’s past, I’m right on time.”
The album’s second track, “Modern Girl,” was first released as a single on Sept. 20, 2023. The song begins with a Bruce Springsteen-esque guitar part, a jazzy saxophone line and an up-tempo drum beat. It is a humorous and lighthearted song about a Friday night out, and the track is filled with hilarious plays on words and self-deprecating lyrical jokes such as: “I guess I’m New Jersey’s finest New Yorker/ Unreliable reporter/ Pop music hoarder/ Some guy playin’ quarters.” “Modern Girl” is a highlight whether you pay attention to the lyrics or simply nod along to the rich instrumentation.
In an interview with The Face, Antonoff described the third track, “Jesus Is Dead,” as “a kind of eulogy” for the New York City hustle-and-bustle that he grew up in during the early 2000s. Over a rock drum beat and a deep synth, Antonoff sings: “Jesus is dead and so’s New York,” humorously reflecting on the city he loved as a child and how it has changed along with him.
The fourth track on the album, “Me Before You,” was released as a single prior to the release of the full album. It opens with a muted, warm synth and a light percussion part. This song is a gorgeous ballad about reflecting on life before meeting somebody – how dull and “blue” it was.
“My bed was a place for the lonely/ Built it that way, came to think it was holy,” Antonoff confesses in the chorus. As he explained in an interview with Apple Music, Antonoff wallowed in his emotions and was deeply critical of himself until he met his muse. Over very mellow instrumentation, Antonoff sings: “That was me blue/ That was me before you.”
“Alma Mater” is the fifth track on the record. It is co-written by and features American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey. Antonoff produced Del Rey’s most recent album, “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd?” as well as a number of other records. The production on this track works to highlight Del Rey’s light, airy vocals utilizing a lighter drum set and many layered synth sounds as supporting instruments.
Lyrically, Antonoff compares a past lover to an alma mater; this unique metaphor may imply that he learned a lot and grew from a previous relationship. He describes a woman, his “alma mater,” who “Threw her T-Shirt down the pike/ Screamin’, “F*** Balenciaga”/ Right past the Wawa/ Threw on ‘Heartattack and Vine’.” This person from Antonoff’s past is youthful and impulsive – likely a teenage fling.
“Tiny Moves,” the sixth track on the record, was one of the lead singles preceding the album. It is the most similar to Bleachers’ previous works in comparison to the rest of the album. It is also one of the only songs on the album with a music video, which stars Margaret Qualley, Antonoff’s wife. In the self-choreographed video, she performs a dance routine with the New York City evening skyline behind her as Antonoff gazes from afar. Her “tiny moves” catch Antonoff’s attention and the pair embrace at the end of the video. The song has a warbled synth, rhythm guitars and a punching drum line backing Antonoff’s vocals. He sings: “The tiniest moves you make/ Watching my whole world change.” This track is sure to get stuck in your head and will have you Shalala-ing everywhere you go.
“Isimo,” the seventh track on the record, is a gorgeous love letter to Antonoff’s wife. Not only is it an explicit reference to Margaret Qualley’s Instagram username, the song also references its preceding track.
In Isimo, Antonoff sings whimsically: “Shalala, I love you, baby” over a saxophone line. Antonoff admires his lover in beautiful metaphors and imagery, singing: “You’re just like the rain/ Carrying everyone’s shame/ but you move just like the river/ No you don’t wear an inch of it, babe.”
The eighth track on the record, “Woke Up Today,” is, sonically, very stripped back with little instrumentation other than acoustic guitars and layered vocals. Lyrically, it is a very sweet, deeply romantic song. “I see the whole world in you, babe,” Antonoff sings in the chorus. He feels it is a privilege to even know his muse, singing: “If faith is a chance then I can believe / I would deserve every breath I see you breathe.”
This song could be a reference to the third song on the album, which discusses his self-deprecating feelings before he met this person. He didn’t feel worthy of having someone so special and those feelings linger even throughout the relationship.
Track nine, “Self Respect,” is very upbeat and features a unique string bassline and driving synths. It builds throughout the song until the bridge in which Antonoff makes several pop culture references, ranging from the tragic death of Kobe Bryant to Kendall Jenner’s controversial Pepsi commercial. These references reminded me of Bo Burnham’s 2021 hit, “That Funny Feeling,” which contained numerous witty, haunting and slightly off-putting lyrics. Amid these references, Antonoff also makes humorous digs at himself, singing: ”I’m so tired of having self-respect/ Let’s do something I’ll regret.”
“Hey Joe,” the 10th song on the tracklist, is a short and sweet folk song. The production is markedly different from the rest of the record, mainly featuring acoustic guitars as backup instruments. At first listen, it seems like a sweet, twangy song with references to the Fourth of July and the revolution. But, hidden between neighborly “Hey Joe”s, political issues are brought up, discussing topics like the Vietnam war and the effects of chemical warfare. Antonoff sings: “Frightened of the state but too tired to run/ Guess these one-trick ponies got us singing along, ‘Hey Joe.’”
The 11th track, “Call Me After Midnight,” is, according to Genius, a finished, fully produced version of a demo by Kevin Abstract, a member of the band Brockhampton. Jack Antonoff put his signature rock sound on the track with a rhythmic piano part, fluttery saxophones and a thumping bass line. The track even contains a sample of one of Bleachers’ previously released songs, “Wild Heart.” This remix featured background singer Sam Dew who furthered the jazz effect on the song.
Track 12, “We’re Gonna Get To Know Each Other,” is a gorgeous acoustic ballad and a highlight of the album. It has a subtle, plucked electric guitar part as well as a fading synth and fluttery jazz instruments.
“Does anyone leave their hometown and actually survive?” Antonoff asks bluntly in the chorus. He sings: “Too dumb to realize how much you meant to this place.” Perhaps this is Antonoff speaking to himself, an individual who has stayed near his hometown in New Jersey for much of his life. He sends out a message to this person in the chorus, singing: ”This one’s for the lonely/ Tired on a wire/ The born, strange, desired.” This further develops the idea that Antonoff is speaking to a past version of himself. He subtly references Bleachers’ first album which is titled “Strange Desire.” His past self and his current self are “gonna get to know each other.”
The penultimate track on the record, “Ordinary Heaven,” was almost the title track of the record, Antonoff told Zane Lowe in an interview with Apple Music. “I long for ordinary heaven/ Just to be your witness/ Yeah, just to witness you,” Antonoff sings. This song is a very sweet love song that compares the everyday joys of a relationship to Heaven. Just as he was in “Woke Up Today,” Antonoff is content just being in the presence of his muse. “You dance around the apartment…and I just get to be there,” he sings over a dreamy synth pad and light electronic drums as various jazz instruments fade in and out.
The final track on the album is called “The Waiter.” It is a huge instrumental shift from the rest of the record; Antonoff’s vocals are heavily autotuned with a vocoder and there is a background of primarily floaty synths and plucked strings. My interpretation of this song is that Antonoff is speaking to himself and reflecting on the experiences he’s had. He sings: “You got this notion that time’s gonna stop/ That the winds are gonna change and tell you what you’re not.”
The song is deeply personal, though written in the second person. It is powerful – a perfect closer to an album centered around reflection.
In an interview with Apple Music, Antonoff discussed his influences and collaborators on the album. When collaborating with other artists, he enjoys working with people who chase a feeling or an experience in the studio rather than only working toward a specific sound. He referenced a viral video of him and Taylor Swift writing the bridge to Swift’s song, “Getaway Car,” in less than 30 seconds. The two were simply having fun and freely following where the music guided them.
Many artists are credited on “Bleachers,” – singers, co-songwriters and instrumentalists alike. Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine, Aaron Dessner, Bartees Strange, Clairo, Claud, and many others played a role in the album’s creation.
Accompanying this record, Bleachers is going on a tour “From The Studio To The Stage” throughout the U.S. and Europe throughout the spring and summer months. On Sunday, May 26, the band will be returning to Madison, Wisconsin to perform at a local venue, The Sylvee. Seeing as tickets are already sold out, it is sure to be an incredible show by Bleachers!
