Album of the Week: 'Year of the Banana' by Rubblebucket

On their seventh studio album, Year of the Banana, dance-rock band Rubblebucket looks back at a difficult time with the knowledge they made it through to the other side.

The year in question was 2015, when the two primary members of the band, Annakalmia Travers and Alex Toth, decided to end their romantic relationship, and the future of the band was uncertain. Many of the lyrics are taken from poetry Travers wrote during that period, dealing with the changing relationship and sources of comfort during a difficult time.

If you thought this would lead to a sad and gloomy album, you would be wrong. Rubblebucket approaches the songs with their usual clever dance arrangements, eclectic instrumentation and party atmosphere.

Take the lead single "Moving Without Touching," with its bouncy bassline and up-tempo energy. Without prior knowledge it's about the end of a relationship, it could just as easily be about the early stages of a crush on someone.

The song is also a great example of Rubblebucket's skill at adding horn and synth flourishes to their rock sound. Between the descending horns during the "hey you" in the chorus, and the synth bassline that concludes the song, both are unexpected, but not at all out of place.

"Rattlesnake" is perhaps the group's grooviest song to date, a '70s inspired disco-funk banger with sweeping strings and Afrobeat horns. At first glance, the shout of "rattlesnake" seems like a simple placeholder before a funky breakdown, but Travers is referring to someone who is wound up as tightly as a coiled snake.

Year of the Banana is Rubblebucket at their best. Simultaneously loose and funky dance music, but also carefully crafted and densely layered pop music. Simply put, Rubblebucket makes fun music. Fortunately for us, the fun of being in a band and making music together kept them going through a turbulent time.

Must listens

• "Stella The Begonia"
  
• "Moving Without Touching"
  
• "The Sorrow That Comes With Loving You"
  
• "Rattlesnake"
  
• "Morning Glory Blanket"
  
• "Go All The Way With Me"
  
• "Boomerang"
  
• "Swimming In The Light"