Lunchbox return with their second album for Slumberland Records, Pop and Circumstance. Since we last saw them in 2020 with the catchy After School Special, Pop and Circumstance keeps the same spirit as it melds decades of guitar pop influences into a cohesive and explosive album which maintains the band’s signature lo-fi sound while delivering a fresh, energetic indie pop including some well placed horns.
Drawing from a long history of guitar pop, Lunchbox delivers a diverse record that spans from a 1970s UK mod-revival to the jangle of 1980s British indie-pop, while maintaining a steadfast allegiance to the Southern California pop sensibility of the 1960s/70s and at times can fall into the mid-to-late 1990s Elephant 6 movement.
Throughout their career, Lunchbox has honed their craft of marrying meticulous songcraft with adventurous home studio experimentation, ensuring their sound remains contemporary and vital. Pop and Circumstance continues this spirit and maintains Lunchbox in a very similar and comfortable indie pop position with several new shapes.
Pivotal tracks include the catchy and bright mod-infused opening track “Dinner for Two,” the soul driven fun in “Love for Free,” and the power-pop anthem “Summer’s Calling” which is instantly memorable. The foot tapping “This World” is another perfect example of Lunchbox’s jangly indie rock goodness.
Pop and Circumstance is bursting with catchy tunes, locked-in harmonies, and earworm choruses. The lyrics depict a range of emotions and experiences, from introspective reflections on lost love and personal growth to longing for connection and understanding. Themes of change, uncertainty, and the passage of time permeate the verses, accompanied by a sense of nostalgia and yearning for something more.
Thomas Wilde
For more of Thomas Wilde’s music reviews, check out The Fire Note
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