A musically strong seventh studio LP by the acclaimed Montreal band, perhaps in part because it is more sensitive and subdued than the 2022’s full-on We, with lyrics that appear ambiguous, cautious and cathartic in the shadow and aftermath of frontman Win Butler’s sexual misconduct allegations scandal, ones that he and his wife and band partner Régine Chassagne deny. The album’s song titles and lyrics so seem to pertain to a fresh start, with Butler having in interviews admitted affairs he stresses were consensual during the period of accusations, as well as non-excuse struggles with mental health, substance abuse, and depression. A tricky one then to overcome, then, with the title track (“Take your mind off me a little while”), or the clear standout, the striking Year of the Snake, with the lead pair sharing vocals, Chassagne opening with: “It's the time of the season/ When you think about leaving/ I knew that you would,” and both singing: “In the season of strangers/ When we were in danger”, but also “It's the season of change / And if you feel strange/ It's probably good.” It’s one of their strongest songs since 2017’s album Everything Now. The abstract, sci-fi muttering and ambient Beyond Salvation, the melancholy, yet romantically escapist Ride or Die, the circumspect, quieter Circle of Trust and the self-punishing, emotional climax closer Stuck in My Head also that appear to address a range of problems in different ways. Cathartic or covering up the cracks? Scandals notwithstanding, the band still remain a force of powerful songwriting and performance, with all the dynamic musical elements in place. Out on Columbia Records.
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