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Cars play an important role on the second solo album from Rostam Batmanglij, the instrumentalist who gave his former band Vampire Weekend its globe-hopping charm. It makes sense, given the meaning of the made-up title: “Transphobia, biphobia, homophobia—these words hold a weight of threat, and it occurred to me that ... the fears they describe are rooted in a fear of change," Rostam has said. It's almost like as if this record is a map for getting to a new, more open way of thinking, being, living. "Don't wanna be pretty like a girl/ I think I'm pretty much your boy," he sings on the perky "4Runner," an ode to road tripping and finding cooperation in love. The manic rhythm and big-shouldered baritone sax—an interesting new signature for Rostam after a long embrace of cello and harpsichord—of "Kinney" is a rousing push-and-pull against the somnambulistic lyrics: "In your car I fall asleep/ pass out in the front seat/ on the pavement I was half alive/ half ocean, half sky/ half shore, half tide." The record also sometimes feels as if it's not of this world. "These Kids We Knew" starts off sounding underwater, comes more clearly into focus, then continues to bob in and out. Written in a "fever-dream state" while recovering from COVID, the song is about Gen Z putting older generations on trial for not caring enough about global warming and the problems they piled on. "Next Thing" is like a collision of two worlds: It warps abruptly from bouncy NYC jazz pop, with Rostam about to break into knowing laughter ("What makes you think you're any better/ 'Cause you're not/ take a seat and a slot/ on the bus heading West"), into a languid Pacific dream: "The next thing I knew I was in California / It didn't feel strange at all/ Everybody said/ 'I've got to warn you, you won't be back next fall.'" It's absolutely lovely. "From the Back of a Cab" is glitchy and beautiful. "Unfold You"—again with that baritone sax —is breathy, sexy, practically R&B. The hand drums of "Bio18" are meditative. And the pretty, nostalgic closer "Starlight" feels like a modern re-casting of Chet Baker. © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz
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Rostam Batmanglij, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Shane Stoneback, StudioPersonnel - Danielle Haim, AssociatedPerformer - Rostam, MainArtist - Jack Hallenbeck, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Joey Messina-Doerning, StudioPersonnel
2021 Matsor Projects 2021 Matsor Projects
Rostam Batmanglij, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Shane Stoneback, StudioPersonnel - Rostam, MainArtist - Joey Messina-Doerning, StudioPersonnel
2021 Matsor Projects 2021 Matsor Projects
Rostam Batmanglij, Producer, Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Harris, StudioPersonnel - Shane Stoneback, StudioPersonnel - Rostam, MainArtist - Henry Solomon, Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Tristan Friedberg Rodman, StudioPersonnel - Joey Messina-Doerning, StudioPersonnel
2021 Matsor Projects 2020 Matsor Projects
Rostam Batmanglij, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Shane Stoneback, StudioPersonnel - Rostam, MainArtist - Jack Hallenbeck, StudioPersonnel - Joey Messina-Doerning, StudioPersonnel
2021 Matsor Projects 2021 Matsor Projects
Rostam Batmanglij, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Harris, StudioPersonnel - Shane Stoneback, StudioPersonnel - Rostam, MainArtist - Henry Solomon, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Messina-Doerning, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
2021 Matsor Projects 2021 Matsor Projects
Rostam Batmanglij, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Shane Stoneback, StudioPersonnel - Rostam, MainArtist - Henry Solomon, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Messina-Doerning, StudioPersonnel - Michael Blasky, AssociatedPerformer
2021 Matsor Projects 2021 Matsor Projects
Rostam Batmanglij, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Harris, StudioPersonnel - Shane Stoneback, StudioPersonnel - Rostam, MainArtist - Henry Solomon, AssociatedPerformer - Nate Head, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Messina-Doerning, StudioPersonnel
2021 Matsor Projects 2021 Matsor Projects
Rostam Batmanglij, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Shane Stoneback, StudioPersonnel - Rostam, MainArtist - Henry Solomon, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Messina-Doerning, StudioPersonnel
2021 Matsor Projects 2021 Matsor Projects
Rostam Batmanglij, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Harris, StudioPersonnel - Shane Stoneback, StudioPersonnel - Rostam, MainArtist - Joey Messina-Doerning, StudioPersonnel
2021 Matsor Projects 2021 Matsor Projects
Rostam Batmanglij, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Harris, StudioPersonnel - Shane Stoneback, StudioPersonnel - Rostam, MainArtist - Henry Solomon, AssociatedPerformer - Nate Head, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Messina-Doerning, StudioPersonnel
2021 Matsor Projects 2021 Matsor Projects
Rostam Batmanglij, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Harris, StudioPersonnel - Shane Stoneback, StudioPersonnel - Rostam, MainArtist - Gabriel Strum, AssociatedPerformer - Henry Solomon, AssociatedPerformer - Joey Messina-Doerning, StudioPersonnel
2021 Matsor Projects 2021 Matsor Projects
Album review
Cars play an important role on the second solo album from Rostam Batmanglij, the instrumentalist who gave his former band Vampire Weekend its globe-hopping charm. It makes sense, given the meaning of the made-up title: “Transphobia, biphobia, homophobia—these words hold a weight of threat, and it occurred to me that ... the fears they describe are rooted in a fear of change," Rostam has said. It's almost like as if this record is a map for getting to a new, more open way of thinking, being, living. "Don't wanna be pretty like a girl/ I think I'm pretty much your boy," he sings on the perky "4Runner," an ode to road tripping and finding cooperation in love. The manic rhythm and big-shouldered baritone sax—an interesting new signature for Rostam after a long embrace of cello and harpsichord—of "Kinney" is a rousing push-and-pull against the somnambulistic lyrics: "In your car I fall asleep/ pass out in the front seat/ on the pavement I was half alive/ half ocean, half sky/ half shore, half tide." The record also sometimes feels as if it's not of this world. "These Kids We Knew" starts off sounding underwater, comes more clearly into focus, then continues to bob in and out. Written in a "fever-dream state" while recovering from COVID, the song is about Gen Z putting older generations on trial for not caring enough about global warming and the problems they piled on. "Next Thing" is like a collision of two worlds: It warps abruptly from bouncy NYC jazz pop, with Rostam about to break into knowing laughter ("What makes you think you're any better/ 'Cause you're not/ take a seat and a slot/ on the bus heading West"), into a languid Pacific dream: "The next thing I knew I was in California / It didn't feel strange at all/ Everybody said/ 'I've got to warn you, you won't be back next fall.'" It's absolutely lovely. "From the Back of a Cab" is glitchy and beautiful. "Unfold You"—again with that baritone sax —is breathy, sexy, practically R&B. The hand drums of "Bio18" are meditative. And the pretty, nostalgic closer "Starlight" feels like a modern re-casting of Chet Baker. © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:38:10
- Main artists: Rostam
- Label: Matsor Projects
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
2021 Matsor Projects 2021 Matsor Projects
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