Album of the Week - 'Wide Awake!'

This week, Jon, one of our UK Account Managers, shares his favourite album of the week - Wide Awake! by Parquet Courts.

"I’m very lucky that as part of my job I get to speak to our retailers who recommend plenty of music across all genres, for me to listen to. However, I have my parents to thank for an excellent music education when I was growing up. Their record collection has influenced a lot of music I gravitate towards today, and when I heard a few of tracks from this album – Wide Awake! By Parquet Courts – it took me back to my 8 year old self discovering The Who and Talking Heads to name a few, and I knew it had to be bought.

With a solid punk/rock edge to their sound, this album doesn’t hold back and within the first few seconds you know you’re in for a fun ride. Constructed of subtle bass licks, sharp vocals (with some great one-liners) and catchy melodies, this record keeps you listening, track after track. In fact I was pleased to discover when I bought it on vinyl that it’s been considered as a true album, where each track literally flows into the next on a number of occasions – a welcome break from some artists modern releases which appear as a collection of ‘hit singles’ making up the 70 minutes or so.

After the long Easter weekend, I was in need of some motivation to get back ‘into the groove’ of work and this album really helped. I’m glad I dug it out of the collection!."

About the band

The Brooklyn-by-way-of-Texas band was formed by former Fergus & Geronimo member Andrew Savage (on vocals, guitar), Austin Brown (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Sean Yeaton (bass), and Max Savage (drums).

The band formed in 2010, and have released six albums, the first through Play Pinball!, three through What's Your Rupture? and their last two albums through Rough Trade.

About the album

Wide Awake! is the sixth studio album by American indie rock band Parquet Courts, released through British independent record label Rough Trade Records in 2018.

The album was produced by American musician, songwriter and record producer Danger Mouse, who has worked with other huge names such Gorillaz, The Black Keys and Beck.

On recruiting Danger Mouse for the album, Andrew Savage said, "I personally liked the fact that I was writing a record that indebted to punk and funk, and Brian’s a pop producer who’s made some very polished records. I liked that it didn’t make sense."

The album received favourable reviews by Pitchfork, The Guardian, Rolling Stone and NME with the latter expressing "Parquet Courts are a magical band that make you feel everything all at once: youth, nostalgia, happiness, desolation, flying high, running low.”

How to Listen

Spotify | Tidal | Apple Music