Andrew W. K. - You’re Not Alone Album Review

Story posted March 6, 2018 in Arts & Entertainment by Jack Grossman.

After nine years without any formal releases, pop legend Andrew W.K. returns with his fifth studio album. It’s got all of the fun, poppy weirdness that you’d expect from W.K., and it is more than enough to fill the appetite he’s created for his fans. With a new full set of new songs to get your body moving, Andrew W.K. is back and ready to party harder than ever before.

You’re Not Alone’s 52-minute runtime is the pinnacle of what Andrew W.K. is all about. A lot of fun production, pop elements and W.K.’s distinct vocals get the vibes grooving and the party moving. The lyrical content is nothing too special, however. Generic writing is littered throughout W.K.’s album, though it never was his strongest aspect, to begin with. It’s easy to overlook with the loud and energetic production that W.K. is famous for, and it is a trade-off that is more than welcome, especially for someone of W.K.’s caliber. The particular tracks “The Power of Partying” and “The Feeling of Being Alive” are great examples: hollow lyrics can get drowned out with electrifying beats to get the atmosphere moving.

W.K. is generally consistent throughout this album, stacking up perfectly with his previous music ventures. He doesn’t really do a lot to experiment, but that is something that W.K. shouldn’t be worried about. For his next venture, however, it would be interesting to see the artist try something new with his pop-oriented sound; perhaps incorporate a sense of rock or even hip hop into the equation to give it something new. While W.K. is perfectly capable of doing so, he is playing it safe with this album for his return.

Though W.K.’s brand of pop is so unique when compared to current pop acts, W.K. could learn from these artists. As mentioned before, he played it very safe when returning, and a hybrid blend of his style with more current and modern EDM/dance styles would be a more interesting direction. W.K. has always been the kind of artist to wear his heart on his sleeve, writing songs that were simple at their core but performed with extreme charisma. As time has passed, W.K.’s music still holds up but mostly in a nostalgic sense. There’s nothing wrong with riding on nostalgia, but it would have been a more noteworthy release for W.K. if he could have taken on pop music of the 2010’s just as he took on radio rock of the 2000’s.

Andrew W.K. has always looked to bring the party to your ears and does not fail here. This is an album that is great to listen for getting amped. W.K. could be a bit more experimental in his future albums, but after five years of silence, this is a great return to the pop world.

Rating: 7/10

 

 

Jack Grossman is a sophomore majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jackdgrossman@gmail.com.