Graphic by Vivian McPherson
BY EZRI BRAID-GRIZZELL ’23
The Lumineers released their third album, “III,” on Friday, Sept. 13, an ironic release date as haunting as the album itself. “III” is an album that’s meant to lure you in and keep you listening.
In The Lumineers’ signature style, “III” tells the stories of many characters and people other than the band members themselves. In the tracks “Donna” and “Gloria,” the narrator addresses a woman, following songs such as “Angela” and “Ophelia” from their second album, “Cleopatra.”
According to the band’s website and NPR, the album was inspired by the band members’ experiences seeing loved ones struggle with alcoholism. Together, the 10 music videos for “III” become a short film that tells the story of the Sparks family. But, don’t go in expecting the same story from the album is lyrics. While the film mostly follows the pacing and nuances of the songs, its narrative is slightly different and much closer to the emotions in the album rather than its storyline.
Part of the charm of “III” is how the album begins with the band’s old sound and eventually transitions into something new. One of the reasons for this new sound may be because of cello player Neyla Pekarek’s absence from “III.” She originally joined the band in 2010 and contributed to the first two albums, but left in 2018 to pursue a solo career. Many songs in “Cleopatra” are seemingly absent of Pekarek’s cello and voice as if she was preemptively phasing herself out of the band.
Proceeding down the tracklist of “III,” the band’s sound continues to evolve. At first listen, “Life in the City” struck me as an odd mix of singer-songwriter Father John Misty’s jazz and something just shy of pop, but the song stays true to Schultz’s acoustic sound and vocals.
“My Cell” is where the album finally catches you: its sound is deeper and heavier than anything I’ve heard from the Lumineers before. The only thing close to it would be “White Lies” from “Cleopatra.” “My Cell” is so different that it takes a moment to realize that it is still Schultz’s voice. The transformation is reminiscent of Mark Foster in Foster the People’s 2014 album, “Supermodel,” in which Foster suddenly drops his voice to a near unrecognizable and pleasant tenor. While Foster drops his voice down, Schultz’s pitch is going higher.
The album only gets more intense and captivating from there. The opening, “Jimmy Sparks,” suggests something akin to a western — maybe like “Rocky Raccoon” from The Beatles’ White Album — and instead delivers something intense and dark. In fact, the buildup over the album is so emotionally intense that the ninth track, “April,” is an instrumental that seems to be built in to give the listener an emotional breather.
“April” moves seamlessly from “Jimmy Sparks” to the final track “Salt and the Sea.” I’d argue that the final song, at least the first time through, sounds best after the roller coaster of the rest of the album. But as a standalone track, “Salt and the Sea” is still one of the most powerful and memorable songs I’ve heard. Schultz pushes his vocal range even farther than “My Cell,” and the piano effectively creates an instrumental chorus, transporting the listener directly into a dark and tumultuous ocean.
As catchy as The Lumineers’ songs are, their albums can be overplayed and tiresome. But “III” boasts new changes for the band, as well as new sounds that won’t soon be forgotten. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a brand new listener, “III” is yet another welldeserved trophy on The Lumineers’ historical road through the music industry.