For nearly a decade, Brian King and David Prowse’s Japandroids were the ideal postrecession rock group. They were two college friends on a mission to manifest “The Boys Are Back in Town” vibes with scrappy punk energy. The duo’s first two albums, 2009’s Post-Nothing and 2012’s Celebration Rock, felt tailor-made for a demographic raised on Our Band Could Be Your Life .
But after a more experimental third record — 2017’s Near to the Wild Heart of Life , which added synths and acoustic guitars to the formula — and a massive tour, they went silent. When they canceled their next performance, a 2022 gig at Shaky Knees Music Festival, it began to feel as if Wild Heart would be their final act. While there are worse fates in life than making an indie-rock Return of the Jedi and calling it a day, this past July, Japandroids returned with a surprise announcement: Their actual last album, Fate & Alcohol, was coming this fall.
In an interview with NPR , Prowse hinted at an amicable end to the band owing to King’s sobriety along with touring fatigue and being a new father. “I’m supportive of Brian,” he said. “I’m glad he’s a happier and healthier person today than he has been at some points in the past.
And if that means the end of this band, so be it.” There’s always hope a final record will serve as a worthy good-bye. Unfortunately, the just-released Fate & Alcohol feels like a lazy retread of better Japandroids albums.
The new tracks have the same bu.