Toronto’s Kiwi Jr. release ‘Cooler Returns’ and announce new album with Sub Pop.
It would be too short-changed to assume that a track “assembled in flow state through the first dull stretch of quarantine” would promote a forced sense of worldly enlightenment.
Rather than stick to the Pavement and ‘Harness Your Hopes’ on a long-winded road to cynical progression and chronically displayed disbelief, ‘Cooler Returns’ is a triumphantly ventured take on how 2020’s gone to shit and all level-headed promise is pointing towards a new year in the “the terrible twenties”; with wit-baited-breath.
Knowing when to keep things serious and then doing the exact opposite anyway, Kiwi Jr. showcase plucky courage with all the grinning duties of a group of school-kids who’ve been invited to design the latest Space Invader; only to realise halfway through their self- exploration that with great power comes pretty hefty responsibilities and sending a crab into outer space in the name of art is only conceptually viable when accompanied by lyrical awareness and endless riff-age to support aesthetic ideals.
Spiritually headlining a green-screen Knebworth via a Nebula will only get you as far as the last smirk unless you’re down to use your imagination and Kiwi Jr. unquestionably use both to their advantage. ‘Cooler returns’ works because frankly, nobody ever really has a clue what’s going on and to encourage growth within such evident, metropolis struggle is pretty iconic.
Confident, hook-laden and crookedly-charming, ‘Cooler Returns’ is a welcomed re-introduction to a band who refuse to compromise.
‘Cooler Returns’ is out via Sub Pop on January 22nd 2021.
Photo by Warren Callbeck
The brand new issue of So Young is out now. It’s sold out in print but you can read the digital edition below.