Galaxie 500 – This Is Our Music

After producing two albums celebrated by a thirsty underground network of fans, Galaxie 500 released what turned out to be their unexpected swansong, This Is Our Music. The title is an intentionally declarative statement. After being labeled masters of the disengaged and forlorn, Damon Krukowsi, Dean Wareham, and Naomi Yang delivered a full-length comprised of their most stately material. Here, one can hear potential realized, as well as changes afoot. “Fourth of July” is a surprisingly up-front song for the band, with rolling drums and a bass-heavy refrain, and it proved to be their most popular single. The track sets the stage for the dynamism of This Is Our Music, When Galaxie 500 sounds wistful (“Summertime”), it sounds like years of yearning actualized; when the band sounds regretful (“Sorry”), it comes pleading on it’s knees. The trio found a beautiful balance between increased production values and knob-twiddler Mark Kramer’s odd-handed approach.