Starting life as Sunglasses on a Plane before expanding into a three-piece, Chicago’s Retirement Party is an emo band led by Avery Springer. Following their debut full-length Somewhat Literate on Counter Intuitive Records in 2018, the band have again teamed up with the Boston label for Runaway Dog, a brand new record to be released this month.
Our first taste of the record came in the form of the title track, a galloping song powered insistent marching drums that refuse to let up. Set against this, Springer’s introspective vocals are given a rising intensity, a deep building force that pulls toward some future resolution. But for now the lyrics remain rooted in the uncertain present, and indeed the energy of the track seems geared towards living in spite of life’s ambiguity.
I should rely
A little less on success, a little more on divisible time
My appetite is not what it used to be
Moving on, we’re counting sheep
I opened the door, the dog up and ran away
Gone for weeks, I’ve been doing OK
Check out the video by Dan Watt below:
Latest single ‘Compensation’ sees no let up in the energy. Bursting into a tangle of guitars and propelled drums, the song has a cathartic momentum, Springer’s vocals riding the rhythms of the track to give a head-out-the-car-window sense of release. But the track also highlights another side to Retirement Party, with no small pinch of wry humour in the lyrics. “I’ll always know / To look both ways before I cross the road,” Springer sings “If I get hit, all that means is compensation / At least it’s something.”
Dan Watt gave this the video treatment too, so check it out below:
Runaway Dog is out via Counter Intuitive Records on the 15th May and you can pre-order it now.
Cover photo by Adam Parshall