Autopoet’s The Nightlife Has Changed You – A Masterclass in Emotion and Relationships
After a series of effervescent singles, Connecticut’s Autopoet released their debut album The Nightlife Has Changed You, on Valentine’s Day. Exploring love and the turbulence of relationships, the album clocks in at an impressive 45 minutes, a rarer and rarer sight. The duo of John Rule III and Rex Thurston work from a unique sonic pallet, tying together disparate sounds to make distinctive indie pop music.
In 1995, Blue’s Clues premiered on Nick Jr. and introduced the world to Steve, played by Steve Burns. In 2002 Burns left the show, and in 2003, with some help from The Flaming Lips’ Steven Drozd, he released an album called Songs for Dustmites. It was a quirky, and decent album, even if it mostly lives on as a relic of Blue’s Clues lore. The Nightlife Has Changed You immediately brings to mind Steve Burns and Songs for Dustmites. It also churns up The Talking Heads, the aforementioned Flaming Lips, and even David Bowie. All these acts, Autopoet included, occupy an exciting, eccentric corner of rock and popular music. They live at the corner of conventional and unconventional, at the edge of the mainstream. They’re something different, while remaining completely accessible.
John Rule’s distinctive and whimsical voice is perfect for Autopoet’s musical aesthetic. He sets the stage in the same way that David Byrne’s vocals set the stage for the Talking Heads. The band isn’t a musical foreigner, but it speaks a slightly different dialect.
The Nightlife Has Changed You features ambitious tracks like “I’m ‘Good at Dancing,’” “What Fame?,” and “According to You,” that hit listeners ears in unexpected ways. These are tempered and balanced by tracks like “Street Couch,” “Waiting on You,” and “Looking Like That,” which fit nicely into established musical bins.
Rule and Thurston are adept at conveying the complicated emotions of even more complicated relationships through song. This becomes apparent by the project’s second track, “Unhealthy Exchanges.” It centers on the complex feelings of being part of a love triangle, something that seems to be more and more relatable as we experience more and more consumerism in our modern dating lifestyles. One of the things I personally would focus on as I made my way through the album, was how the sound of Rule’s voice, along with his lyrics, and the composition of the music all fit together to describe different aspects of romance in the 21st Century.
This strength is continued on the album’s third cut. The production on “Out of Reach” seems pretty straight forward and simple: a blend of guitar, bass, drums, vocals and a dash of keyboards. The recipe produces strong results. The track stirs up a mix of emotion: sorrow, joy, hope, among others. Each instrument takes its turn filling space and falling away, and it’s this rhythm, the negative spaces, and in turn, the expanded moments, that gives the record its richness.
Once you dive into the lyrics, you quickly realize how unassuming the melody is. Rule sings about the difficulties people face at the end of a relationship; having to be around each other without causing a scene while also reestablishing boundaries and friendship. Having tension that creates bad vibes and hurt feelings, it can all lead to real mess. Rule’s words are as insightful as they are relatable, creating a complete picture that again shows their penchant for making relatable, moving music.
The nature of the duo’s sometimes herky-jerky and eccentric musical sensibilities are put on full display on “I’m ‘Good at Dancing.’” Thurston’s ever varying vocals are joined by a plucky array of instruments that create a cohesive tune. It comes together for something peculiar and not quite comfortable, which perfectly encapsulates the peculiar and not quite comfortable moment Rule sings about. This transitions quickly into the fascinating and elegant “Street Couch.” The vocals and musical structure resemble something by The Strokes, while the muffled (for lack of a better term) guitar is a nice wrinkle.
A strong expression of the overarching personality of The Nightlife Has Changed You, “WAR CRY!” is one of the highlights of the album. It has one of the richest musical landscapes, giving way to an interlude with a remixed voicemail prompt, showing the creativity Autopoet paints with. Big guitars follow, before Rule and Thuston circle back to the song’s opening moments, tying a nice bow on the whole thing.
The album’s namesake, “The Nightlife Has Changed You,” has an avant-garde quality, throwing off Gang of Four vibes in all directions. It feels intimate, like it should be performed in a small, dark jazz club. It’s anchored by a relaxed guitar riff while things fall into gradual discord. It’s a cool track, with an intriguing musical angle.
“Waiting on You” channels “Build Me Up Buttercup” by the Foundations. They’re both songs that bemoan the feeling of being let down by a lover. We think of being ghosted or dealing with a partner that can’t commit as being a problem of the 21st century, but it’s a tale as old as time. Autopoet sets a powerful scene, describing a series of small betrayals and the emotional toll they take.
The last minute of the track features Rule and Thurstan building and layering musical elements until they reach a passionate climax as the song reaches its conclusion. When you subtract the lyrics from the equation, you’re left with a rich, energetic, and encouraging track.
The back half of the album is as full of character as the first, featuring tracks that are contemplative, like “Catch 22” and “According to You,” along with others, like “What Fame,” and “Confusing Girl,” which summon images of David Bowie.
“According to You” stands outs as a focal point. It’s a pensive, downbeat track that you feel in your soul. It captures the addiction of lust, and the loneliness it can leave in it’s wake. The grand and immersive guitar melody that takes hold in the bridge is emblematic of these kinds of relationships, bringing the song to an overwhelming crest, before things come quickly to an unsettling end. Very appropriate.
“Looking Like That” is an outlier. It takes on a fun, playful shape, completely disconnected from the lyrical content. The light, effortless production will stir up blissful images, while the lyrics center on unhealthy feelings of jealousy and ownership. This was another of my favorites on the album, in part because of it’s pop sensibility, and in part because of it’s moments of lively guitar play.
“From Rule’s voice, to the striking vocabulary he uses, to the way the duo approaches song composition, there is a lot to take away and appreciate.”
Synesthesia is a set of sensations that can include a person feeling a physical response to sound. This is exactly what “Confusing Girl” brought on in me. It’s a wide ranging track that carries a certain Bowieness along with moments that touch on psychodelia reminiscent of Pink Floyd. As we venture into the 2:00 mark, sounds begin to oscillate between left and right speakers, creating a trippy moment, and it is this instant where I experience some uneasy synesthesia. That eventually evolves into some cool, haunting vocals from Thurston. “Confusing Girl” is an experience on an album that is in itself, an experience.
I recommend enjoying The Nightlife Has Changed You in a moment where you can give it the attention it deserves. There is a lot to think about and discover as you make your way through the album’s 14 tracks. From Rule’s voice, to the striking vocabulary he uses, to the way the duo approaches song composition, there is a lot to take away and appreciate. The Nightlife Has Changed You is a masterclass in emotion and relationships. Press play and let it wash over you.
The Nightlfe Has Changed You is available for purchase through Autopoet’s BandCamp. You can also listen to the album through your preferred streaming platform.
Michael Stroneski, editor at mvsicthovght, has started several blogs and multi-media projects you’ve never seen. He is a life-long cheerleader for Connecticut and underground music. You can reach him at contact@mvsicthovght.com.