In January I wrote that it was hard not to instantly fall in love with Matt and Kim. Having tucked the release of stellar sophomore album Grand, under their belt, that is definitely still the case. The endearing duo continue their reign as the king and queen of synth-driven indie pop, whether it be through sunshiney fun-fests like “Daylight” and “Good Ol’ Fashion Nightmare” or wired-up anthems such as “Cinders.” The two have also shown they have a more serious side, the best example being their latest single, “Lessons Learned.”
Even though it opens with a drumbeat that I can’t imagine I’d be able to muster without my arms falling off, “Lessons Learned” is the most touching song off of Grand. Departing from the more simplistic formula of their previous work, Matt and Kim drop the party attitude and replace it with soaring synths and powerful vocal harmonies. Lyrical nuggets like “thinking about tomorrow won’t change how I feel today” make it seem like there’s plenty of introspection going on here, another welcome addition to the duo’s otherwise upbeat repertoire. And what’s this, Kim on the mic? Finally, Ms. Schifino comes out from behind the drum kit to produce one of the most memorable vocal hooks on the album. I’m hoping we’ll be able to see more from her in the future.
So what would go best visually with such a beautiful song? To those of you who immediately answered public nudity, congratulations. In the video for “Lessons Learned,” Matt and Kim one up Blink-182 and don their birthday suits for a stroll through Times Square. I’d imagine only good things could come out of that. But oddly enough, the two’s naked excursion through the city ends up being the perfect accompaniment to a great single. Anybody else feel like going streaking?
