If you’re new to Spanish Love Songs, buckle up while I set the scene on the first time they entered my life. We were months into the pandemic and things were not looking optimistic. I met a girl on the internet – one who would soon become my girlfriend – and we found ourselves in constant conversation about the music that kept us going. During one of my daily walks, she sent me SLS’s “The Boy Considers His Haircut” and I immediately realized this was the sound I needed during these dark times. With lyrics drenched in existential dread, depression, and cultural commentaries, SLS became a comfort, not only on that walk, but through the entire pandemic – validating the sadness and making me feel less bad about it all.
Now, despite the name No Joy, Spanish Love Songs is back with their most optimistic album to date while they continue their exploration of profound sadness. Admittedly, the bar for optimism with the quintet wasn’t very high.
No Joy doesn’t give a complete reinvention, yet it introduces distinct elements to their iconic, previously self-described “grouchrock” sound. The album brims with swelling synths, infusing every track with an undercurrent of 80’s new wave and pop rock influences. This infusion is immediately evident in the album’s opener “Lifer.” Lyrically, through the detailing of a car crash, we see happiness for the sake of loved ones shine through at the end of this track. With that, lead singer Dylan Slocum sets the tone (or at least one of the tones) of the entire album.
The first half of the album, from “Pendulum” to “Haunted” to “Clean-Up Crew,” commands attention with its unapologetic intensity. Slocum dissects the fleeting nature of despair found in suburban life, the chase of dreams, and existence itself. In “Haunted,” a song about settling down, not necessarily with a family but more so with reality, Slocum addresses a lyric from their last release, Brave Faces Everyone. While he previously questioned whether or not the bleakness will ever end, this time he sings, “it’ll be this bleak forever, but it is a way to live.”
Slocum’s penchant for callbacks is evident, intertwining lyrics and song titles all across No Joy. “Middle of Nine,” for instance, presents the question, “Do you remember the look on my face when you told me you wanted to die?” This somber line is revisited in “I’m Gonna Miss Everything,” reflecting a shift in perspective: “I can’t remember the look on your face when I told you that I might want to die.” I wouldn’t necessarily say that these types of wordplay are meant to be direct call and response but I do love the change in perspective with every listen. It’s a very engaging way to weave an album together – especially one so complex in theme and tone.
As if “Pendulum” is an obvious hint at the flow of No Joy, the album effortlessly swings from punk influences to the aforementioned new wave elements. It’s not jarring or disjointed in this way; quite the opposite. The album’s sonic journey mirrors its lyrical exploration of acceptance, even amidst adversity. The tracks speak of finding joy in any moment – the proclamation of staying “alive out of spite,” as revealed in “Marvel,” or simply smiling “up under the swell” that may have already killed you, as suggested in “Exit Bags.”
It all comes to an explosive ending on the closer “Re-Emerging Signs of the Apocalypse.” A reflection on the weight of the world and its countermeasures, the song transforms into somewhat of an anthem. It boldly confronts the darkness, acknowledging that the world “still is the way it is” but we, as individuals, are “part of the equation.” I really hope this makes it into SLS’s live rotation as I can’t help wondering how intense this will be on stage with a crowd screaming along.
Beneath its surface, No Joy offers a nuanced portrayal of what real happiness can look like. It isn’t always sunny and carefree; often, it’s simply staying “alive out of spite.” Spanish Love Songs beckons us to explore the intricacies of joy, whether it emerges from our best moments or is buried amidst the worst.
No Joy is out everywhere on August 25th. Stream the latest singles here:
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