With their debut album ‘Oh, What a Life’ American Authors joyfully skip onto the alternative-indie scene. Despite hints of potential, however, the whole album feels like a summer breeze which leaves but a fleeting impression.
It kicks off with ‘Believer’ which introduces the overall penchant on the album for weird auto-tune and mic effects which make Zac Barnett’s voice sound raw but also distant, as if it’s come out of a can. The song is imbued with what seems to be their trademark optimism, which can be a bit cloying after a while. They even introduce a clapping section towards the end of the bridge.
Indeed the upbeat folk-pop vibes of ‘Best Day of My Life’ are great until you realise nearly every song on the album is the same. It sounds like a second-rate attempt at Imagine Dragons’ hopefully euphoric ‘It’s Time’. Despite this it would still sit perfectly on a summer playlist – or if you ever need convincing ‘this is going to be the best day of your life’. The ‘woah-oh-oh’s’ do make you want to sing along and the banjo twang adds an outdoorsy feel.
‘Luck’ is one of the stronger tracks with pulsing beginning and a very effective silence before the impact of the chorus (as Barnett croons that ‘some birds aren’t meant to be caged’). The song is about the struggle of choosing your own path even if it is one your friends and families don’t agree with. The sentiment of ‘I am my own man / I make my own luck’ is one of the most sincere ones on the album. ‘Trouble’ has a hint of the bluegrass about it, particularly in the chorus while ‘Hit It’ (already a Fifa soundtrack) has an electro opening and is possibly the most infectious and hectic yet. The second half of the album largely follows suit to ‘Believer’ and ‘Best Day of My Life’, all about making the most of each day etcetera. The only one with some variation is title track ‘Oh, What a Life’ which opens as a soft campfire song with violin and banjo but musters up some spirit with the chorus and rapid changes of pace (‘and we laughed oh, and we cried and thought oh, what a life’). It’s a nice ending to the album, especially if you get exhausted over being told to think about how great your day is going to be. Even with all the messy parts of life, this final song is about celebrating the ride.
Combined with the effect of the voice editing and some other aspects of production, this album ends up feeling a bit soulless. The relentless optimism and the tempo of early tracks wears off quickly and gets repetitive. There is a sense that some energy and passion may be more communicable in a live setting without some of the gimmicks; on record it feels like one big happiness pill which might bring a temporary lift but won’t sit around for the long term.