Two Door Cinema Club are infamous as the indie rock scene’s Energizer bunnies. Especially their debut album, Tourist History, the average tempo of which feels like it’s already been nightcored. The band admits that this was probably overkill and in interviews has said that part of their focus in prior years was to just keep playing faster and with more intensity, but eventually were burnt out from it and coupled with non-stop stress inducing touring needed to take a break. This is why their latest album, Gameshow, has a more disco influenced sound, with slower songs and more off the cuff rhythms, it’s a departure from the energy they were known for. Which admittedly was a slight let down upon the album’s reveal; I thoroughly appreciate artists advancing their style but TDCC’s older material did and does hold a special place in my heart for its blend of sophisticated sound and unadulterated speed and energy. Since then however I’ve come to love Gameshow, and appreciate what I admittedly at first couldn’t take seriously as Alex Trimble (TDCC’s vocalist)’s upper register. Lavender is likely my favorite track off the album, although there are quite a few gems. Lyrically I adore it because of its focus. I’ve always marveled at dreams, their surrealism, taking material and influences from its conscious counterpart and skewing them to absurd-ism. I think this alteration of reality is synonymous with the power of creativity: the ability to see a path to modify material from what it is to what it could be, and purpose to do so. Obviously in dreams the limitations of physics and energy conservation and general logic are lacking, making this phenomenon even more grandiose, but the bending of things known to those unknown remains the same. Trimble has said in interview that in the wake of the band’s separation he underwent a serious depression and drug addiction, which causes me to suspect that Lavender details his desire for escape from reality, in this case through sleep. Unconsciousness is a space where he can rest his head in a field of lavender, existing in a bent reality where gravity has no application, he declares he’ll be there for centuries. This study of escapism is intriguing, and in addition to the thematic interest, the piece has amazing musical power as well. The verses are sweet and self contained, but the pre-chorus feels particularly long, with an illusion that it could just keep building endlessly. This gives the narrative a slightly dreamy feeling and when the chorus finally does hit, the payoff is immense with a punch in the guitar and vocal combo that has no rival that I’m aware of. After the second verse it proceeds to somewhat milk the chorus, yet I have no complaints, I’m frankly still not satisfied by the end of it. Alongside Lavender, Good Morning is likely the other track that I’m overly attached to, however the album as a whole is most definitely worth a listen. I’d also recommend their older work but it’s difficult to have existed and not heard at least some of it so I’ll spare the noise.

TL;DR TDCC GMSHW RN!

-A