English indie rock band alt-J has shared a new song, titled "Every Other Freckle," which you can listen to below. The song is the third to be shared from the band's upcoming album This Is All Yours, following "Hunger of the Pine" and "Left Hand Free." This Is All Yours is slated for release on Sept. 22.
In typical alt-J fashion, "Every Other Freckle" seems to take the modern indie rock template and twist it into something entirely unique. Very few bands can write a song that legitimately surprises you, but alt-J manages to do this multiple times within a single track. Though "Every Other Freckle" has a largely electronic/industrial vibe, the band still finds a way to throw a flute melody into the mix, and it works really well. However, my favorite part of the track is the bizarre synth line that comes in around 2:50, if only for the unsettling, slightly off-key tone.
As cool as the music itself is, my biggest problem with alt-J remains the vocals. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's just something about the way that Joe Newman enunciates and controls his voice that sounds pretty forced (and yes, I know he has a British accent, that's not what I'm getting at). Also, the incessant shouting of "hey!" in the background is a trend that should have died after the Lumineers blew up. It's pretty much become the unmistakable mark of "mainstream indie rock," so we need to give it a rest.
You can check out "Every Other Freckle" right here:
