They're Back! A Look Into Bombay Bicycle Club's Homecoming Album
Written by Chelsea Tiso
Graphic by Emily Lantzy
When English indie-rock band Bombay Bicycle Club announced their hiatus in 2016, I was distraught. The first band that I ever fell in love with would be taking a break from making music together. Fast forward to 2019, and the promise of the band coming together filled me with elation. On January 17th, 2020, Bombay Bicycle Club came back with their 5th studio album, Everything Else Has Gone Wrong.
Listening to the album in its entirety after their break in which they pursued other musical avenues, I felt an overwhelming sense of nostalgia and hope for the future of the band. In the bridge of the title track, “Everything Else Has Gone Wrong,” Jack Steadman, the band’s lead singer, repeats the lines “I guess I found my peace again / And yes, I found my second wind.” This could refer to the band’s decision to take a 3-year hiatus and then reunite, but also fits in perfectly with the album’s title. If the album’s title didn’t provide any sort of clue, despite the lyrics having an air of hopelessness, it always comes back to rejuvenation and starting again as echoed in in the final track of the album. The album’s lyrics sound solemn and hopeless, but always return to that point of calmness.
A stand-out track of the album, titled “I Can Hardly Speak,” has this catchy post-chorus that just feels so familiar. I must say, it was not what I expected. Similarly, “I Worry Bout You” made me immediately think of a friend who is trying to comfort their own heartbroken friend. It’s the ambiguity within Bombay Bicycle Club’s songs that allow the listener to create their own personal interpretation. But what really tied it all together for me was the influence of Mr Jukes in the track’s post chorus and the soothing chorus found in the final track of the album, “Racing Stripes.”
Bombay Bicycle Club have shown time and time again that they are not afraid to branch out of their perceived comfort zone. Their entire discography, whilst drawing inspiration from multiple genres, holds a common thread, and that is their musical brilliance. I look forward to seeing what else they’re capable of.
Bombay Bicycle Club is currently on tour and may be coming to a city near you. You can also stream their latest album Everything Else Has Gone Wrong wherever you stream music.