Album Review: The Click by AJR

If you've read even one page of this blog, you most likely know that I love AJR with a flaming passion. Sure, once in a while they make a sub-par song, like Let The Games Begin, or Birthday Party, but most of their songs are fantastic. A good AJR song is like the musical equivalent of sitting in a blanket, with a nice warm cup of hot cocoa. I don't even like hot cocoa, that's just what I feel when listening to an AJR song. However, a lot of hate has been thrown towards the 2 most famous AJR albums, The Click and Neotheater. I'll talk about Neotheater sometime in the future, but today, we're going over The Click, and I will determine if it deserves the hate it gets (it probably doesn't).

                                                  

Cover: This cover is fantastic. The image of Jack, Ryan, and Adam walking on a piano road in the sky with trumpets is very striking, and the artwork is extremely lovely. A fantastic cover, that manages to both look pretty, and attract an audience. Verdict: 5/5

Song 1:  Overture

And right away, we're starting off high. Yeah, I wasn't joking when I listed this as the best AJR song ever. The production is fantastic, the melody is amazing, Jack sounds incredible, the way the lyrics are integrated into the song is fantastic, and every instrument is great, especially the trumpets. It even manages to make Weak and Turning Out sound good. Bottom line, Overture is as close to musical perfection as you could possibly get. Every aspect of this production is amazing, heavenly, and fantastic. Easily the best song on the album.

Verdict: 5/5.

Song 2: The Good Part

That name is not correct at all. The melody is boring and processed, there's no flow whatsoever, it's just an absolute mess. Skip this one.

Verdict: 0/5.

Song 3: Weak

While Weak is far from AJR's top tier material, it's not that bad. The beat is alright, the lyrics are fine, Jack sounds great, the melody has an alright flow, and while it doesn't have the impassioned fun and passion of Bummerland or Bud Like You, it's still an alright song. Not great, but alright. Far from the best song on the album, but far from the worst.

Verdict: 3/5.

Song 4: Sober Up

I love this song. Not only does it sound incredible, but it's an incredibly impassioned look at how some people's lives resolve solely in their own world, not able to look at what really matters. On top of that, the instrumentation is amazing, Jack sounds amazing, and like Castle On The Hill, Sober Up has an infectious happy energy. Easily one of the best songs on the album.

Verdict: 5/5

Song 5: Drama

I like this song. The melody is nice and structured, Jack sounds great, the lyrics are interesting and relatable (Yeah, screw the people that say that AJR tries to be relatable, and ends up being cringey. They just don't want to admit that the stuff in their songs perfectly describes them), and the lyric video is really good. An all around fantastic song.

Verdict: 4/5.

Song 6: Turning Out

God is this song boring. Granted, the instrumental is decent, but this song is really forgettable. Everything is just so blah and dull. There's not bombast, no energy, everything is just so limp. This song is an absolute chore to listen to, which is something I'd never thought I'd say about an AJR song. So yeah, skip this one too.

Verdict: 1/5.

Song 7: No Grass Today

This song is alright. It's like they took the decent instrumentals of Turning Out, and made them punchier and cool. On top of that, Jack sounds great, and the song has a great energy. The lyrics? Eh, they're not great, and the song doesn't have that much relisten value. But No Grass Today is an alright song.

Verdict: 3/5

Song 8: Three-Thirty

Yeah, that pretty much sums up my reaction to this song. I did not expect to love it as much as I do, but WOW. It is so fricking good. The instrumental is fantastic, punchy, groovy, and fun, Jack sounds fantastic, and it's just an all around groovy experience. I can't hear this song without bobbing my head, it's that good. So yeah, Three-Thirty is absolutely fantastic.

Verdict: 5/5.

Song 9: Call My Dad

This song is alright. It's relaxing, reflective, and cool. The lyrics are decent, the tune is relaxing, it does a really good job of eliciting an emotional response. The only problem is the autotuned is a little egregious at points, but aside from that Call My Dad is a decent song. 

Verdict: 4/5

Song 10: I'm Not Famous

I like this song. Well, I did put it as #9 on my best songs of AJR list, so of course I like it. But still, I'm Not Famous is a really good song. The lyrics are great, the song is relaxing and chipper, Jack's voice sounds lovely as usual, and it has a good message: sometimes it's better to not be famous, and be anonymous. I could understand someone calling this song pretentious or hipsterish, but I think it's alright.

Verdict: 5/5.

Song 11: Netflix Trip

This song is really dumb. Like, making a song about Netflix? Really, AJR? And it's not even a joke song. Netflix Trip is played completely straight. Not since Birthday Party have I seen an AJR song this dumb. The production is alright, but dear god this song is so unbearably dumb and lame. Skip.

Verdict: 2/5.

Song 12: Bud Like You

Ah, Bud Like You. The song that introduced me to AJR. Yeah, I still frickin' LOVE this song. The production is fantastic, Jack sounds amazing, and the song just has a fun energy, and sense of comradery. This song just puts me in a lovely happy place. Oh, and as for the weed/friend thing? Witch from Into The Woods, would you do the honors?

Verdict: 5/5

Song 13: Come Hang Out

I could not think of a better song to end the album. Come Hang Out is fantastic. Like I said in the best songs of AJR list, Come Hang Out is a song that manages to feel both unsettling and inviting at the same time. Jack sounds great, the production is fantastic, the lyrics are great and thought provoking, and the song is so unique, but not enough to stick out like a sore thumb. A great song to close out an alright album.

Verdict: 5/5.

Final thoughts: Is The Click a flawless album? No. It does have some minor stinkers. But for every minor stinker, there's a great song around the corner. The Click is an absolutely fantastic album, with some of AJR's best songs, and the fact that so many people hate it makes no sense whatsoever. If you've never heard AJR before, start here.

Verdict: 4/5.

Best songs: Overture, Sober Up, Three-Thirty, Bud Like You.

Worst songs: Turning Out, The Good Part.

Well, that was my first album review. How did I do? What are your thoughts on The Click? Thanks for reading, and leave a comment on what album you'd like me to review in the future. Until next post, Jeremy out.