I feel like this may be the first 12", 10-song release in my collection from Real Numbers, a dreampop meets jangle-indie rock band from Minneapolis. I'm not going to fact check my statement, because I mean it as a metaphor. Real Numbers play exactly what you'd expect based on my short description so far, but there's always something just a little bit off about it (like a 9-song record). It's comfort music that still manages to surprise you.
On their latest, Was It Always This Way, the band covers a lot of ground set to what I'll call chill-pop. On the surface, the vibes are relaxed and calming with bright guitar strumming and clear production. But there's a lot of nuance within, lyrically and musically. "Twist the Blade," besides its not-so-sunny title, has an ominous bass tone that wanders in pace: a spirit that's lost its path. Then, right after it, the sunny sounds break through again with "Don't Look Away," featuring wavering vocals and an uplifting nostalgic element. While Eli Hansen handles most of the vocals (and songwriting), Real Numbers is a real group. The depth to the songs showcases many voices, literally on harmonies in songs like "Everlasting Happiness," which is something of a dreampop ballad set to acoustic guitar. The title track is probably a personal favorite, as it features the band's distinct traits but with a rising emotion that spans the entirety of the two-and-a-half minute song without any drama.
It's a word that the advertising industry has beaten to a pulp and I'm hesitant to use it, but I feel like Real Numbers is about beauty. The themes aren't always pretty but the songs are. Listening to the band feels like watching a sunset after a long, conflicted day. It's colorful. It's temperate. It's soothing. And no matter what tomorrow brings, you can spin the record again.
