The prefix “art-“ in popular music can often be a polite shorthand for “wilfully obtuse”. Manchester art-rock quartet Everything Everything, however, are happy to let you in on what they’re on about.
The lyrics website Genius is crammed with explanations of most singles preceding this fifth album. The propulsive, danceable Arch Enemy is about a sewer “fatberg” that is worshipped as a god. The gentler In Birdsong imagines the first human to experience consciousness, and reflects the recent months when lack of cars and planes made the sound more noticeable again. Fans may want to read what they’ve been reading too: US psychologist Julian Jaynes’s theory that humans once had two minds inspires thoughts about hearing divine voices that frontman Jonathan Higgs has fun exploring.
It’s lyrically wild, though musically they’ve settled down from their early sound. Lost Powers is a calm, stately introduction. Planets drifts along over icy synth notes. Higgs’s vocals remain the most acquired of tastes.
The closest thing to a pop song is Violent Sun, which races along while describing the end of the world. This catchy apocalypse is as straightforward as this fascinating band will ever be.
