Japandroids write punk rock love songs. They live in a world where fear and disillusionment are always stalking just behind you, waiting for the moment you let your guard down. They know the only way to keep these hostile, soul-crushing forces at bay is with raging guitars, thrashing drums, and the ragged howl of post-adolescent angst. The song becomes a vehicle against fear, a weapon that allows the individual to persevere in the face of mounting anxiety. It’s like every single tune is about that moment when you realize that youth and fun are leaving you, and the only thing left to do is drink and scream until you shake off the demons of hopelessness.
Today’s Awesome Tune comes from Japandroids latest album, “Celebration Rock”. “Continuous Thunder” is a cross between the woozy, defiant nostalgia of The Replacements, and the guitar-based sonic onslaught of 90s alt-rock. This song lives in the back alleys of life. It lives in the wasteland of early adulthood. It lives in the stilted promise of a broken dream. It steals moments behind closed doors, groping endlessly for a moment when the pain won’t be able to reach it. Freedom lives inside these moments too, and the fleeting and ephemeral nature of freedom is what this song captures. It’s a love song about abandoning concern and living in the moment. Take some time to soak up this song, and feel the cold rain in your bones.
Audio Reckoning 