ALBUM REVIEW: The National Parks Returns With Their Latest Album
ALBUM REVIEW: The National Parks Returns With Their Latest Album
A part 1 that will leave you aching for part 2
Words by: Meaghan MacDonald
Folk-inspired indie band, The National Parks released their newest project, A Mix For The End of The World Part 1. The eight track album provides a calm, easy-going listen, though the lyrics are anything but. Much like the title suggests, the record reflects on the current state of the world while imagining what the end might look like.
The record blares open with a tornado warning siren beckoning “At The End” to begin – catapulting us into a dystopian world. The sirens blend with a whimsical beat, while the lyrics highlight how peaceful the end of the world will be.
“At The End” flows into “Headlights,” a romantic, laid back song — a gentle release from a whirlwind start. Previously released back in July, “Headlights” continues the record’s dystopian theme in the tellings of a story of two lovers looking to escape society’s issues, even for just a moment. The chorus is sure to get stuck in your head, featuring vocalist Brady Parks, “And hold me close/Let’s drive away to some place far/And dance real slow in the headlight shine of our car/And never mind tomorrow.” An equally impressive music video followed the release of “Headlights” just a month later — highlighting different couples watching tragic events on the news. As they become more consumed in the broadcast, they finally break free to enjoy one another instead. The visuals only strengthen the overall meaning of the song, as the end includes several couples dancing to the song, wrapped up in one another.
As we make our way to the middle of A Mix For The End of The World, “live til we die” brightens up the tempo. While the track bursts through with what sounds like an existential crisis, the chorus brings forth a more positive outlook. “live til we die” imagines a house in the woods where two lovers can escape the dread of the world, a concept that everyone can relate to.
Of course when it rains, it pours with “Airplane” shifting to a more solemn gear, draped in a melancholy sound reminiscent of Bon Iver. Brady Parks’ lyricism shines through, as the song opens with, “I’ve been a farmer where nothing grows/Like a sailor where no wind blows/And I don’t know what else to try/I wish that I could fly/I’ve been a boxer with no punch/Like a psychic without a hunch/Just looking up to the sky/I wish that I could fly.” “Airplane” bleeds into the 41 second instrumental, “Continuum,” showcasing a string arrangement from the band’s violinist, Megan Parks. The strings, doubled with the sound of chirping birds, brings the feeling of a bright, sunny day, differing from the apocalyptic theme of the album.
“Summer Bird” brings this record to a close begins with the all too familiar chirping birds. Starting as a soft, dreamy song, it eventually breaks into a faster paced folk song. The album ends on a happy, softer note — quite the calm after the storm.
The National Parks, who first debuted back in 2013, have only grown in talent and popularity since. The Utah based band’s latest album, A Mix For The End of The World-Part 1 manages to find the balance between existential dread and optimism, laying it over their signature pop-folk sound. Be on the lookout for A Mix For The End of The World-Part 2, coming some time in early 2022.
