Oxford Collapse - Remember the Night Parties

Genre rock Publisher Sub Pop External Links Official Oxford Collapse Website Official Sub Pop Website

Remember the Night Parties, the Oxford Collapse's third album, opens with a tremulous call-to-arms: "Join our cavalcade / Storm the barricade," whispers vocalist Michael Pace, his muted delivery belying the urgency of the appeal, at least until the next song. "Please Visit Your National Parks" features Pace's manic guitar work and his sometimes joyous, sometimes wounded yelp. Oxford Collapse stick to these elements for the rest of Night Parties: guitar angular like pipe works anchored on off-kilter drums and riffy bass; imagistic lyrics yelped and chorused. "Loser City" jumps with the playful mischievous energy of a road-trip ("Smoke out the rector and jumped the fence / broke your projector incurred expense"). "Molasses" stands out for its dorky riff and cowbell and awkward flute-thing and jangly guitar sheen. Sometimes it sounds as if the Collapse have turned the calendar back to the mid-90s, before using "emo" as insult was cliche. The album title and the cover art of circa-1987 summer pool parties suggests nostalgia, but the successful songs feel fresh and even if some of Remember the Night Parties fades from the mind too easily, much of it is worthwhile.