Bleep

The New York City art-punks return with their fourth, fifth or sixth LP depending on whether you count American Specialties and Content Nausea. What’s beyond dispute is that Parquet Courts have one of the most impressive discographies of any group to emerge this decade, and Wide Awake! sees them score another hit. Once pedalling the most arch brand of detached observationalism, the band have really come into the world here. They sound urgent and engaged like never before, and production from Danger Mouse adds extra gravity to their musings. That’s not to say that Savage, Brown et al have abandoned their humorous side - any record with a track on it called ‘Freebird II’ is always going to be good for a few laughs.