"May the world rearrange itself and may Mt. Joy bring the good that it needs."
After 2018’s release of Mt. Joy’s self-titled debut record, the band went on tour and shocked the world with their Indie-folk intellect. By 2020, Mt. Joy delivered their sophomore record, Rearrange Us, albeit in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The soulful rock quintet stuck through with their projected release date despite other bands moving to a later time.
The 13-track LP surrounds the Americana and smooth rock feel that the band has thrived on for the past few years. With soothing vocals and ear-bending guitar solos, Mt. Joy fuses together an alternative rock album for the ages. Although, short in length, the record makes up for it with head-banging singalongs and tear-gushing ballads.
The title track, “Rearrange Us,” offers elliptic guitar riffs intertwined with charismatic vocals. Matt Quinn, the lead singer of the Pennsylvanian outfit howls throughout each tune as he proclaims that love may rearrange us. With a crooning outro, Quinn exclaims “It seems like a short life/It seems like a short life, with you”. By acquiring a feverish tone, Quinn doubles the intensity on the psychedelic, gut-rocking summer tune “My Vibe”. Yet Quinn settles down with the intellectual “Acrobats” that questions one’s surroundings and the matters of authenticity.
In the midst of melancholic resentment, tunes such as “Witness” latches onto this emotional pain while the music indicates the painful dissolution that arises throughout the chorus. On “Come With Me,” swagger begs for change and for a foreseeable resolution. Lyrics of “If the future won’t hold it don’t let go/And if the future won’t hold don’t let go/’Cause if the future won’t hold it just trust the moment” capture the group’s persistence to pursue an unachieved confident sense of swagger.
Mt. Joy wears this affable scent throughout Rearrange Us. The Indie folk quintet offers bits of maturity and self-reflection in comparison to their 2018 debut. The sophomore LP indicates life’s current troubles and pleads for change as they declare love can rearrange us and time can allow us to grow.
“Death” sways away from its typical definition and recognizes those in mental ditches as this instrumentally-eclectic tune spits out some of the wisest lyrics on the record. Quinn howls “There are holes in your eyes full of impossible light/Learn to laugh when you cry, make a rainbow in your mind/Get your life right, boy/There’s so much more”. With colorful and fluorescent lyrics, Mt. Joy stabilizes their folk outfit mentality with assurance on a positive state of mind and flourishes of peace-giving.
The record’s first track, “Bug Eyes” exclaims moments of losing someone and encouraging them to come home. With folk-rock melodies and Quinn’s casual crow for the better, the lead track finds itself soaring to heights the band has never flown before. On “Every Holiday,” the band’s Christmas-themed tune recalls an ending love during the worst time of the year to have it. As holidayed-depression sets in and “eyes like singing balloons” fall into place, Mt. Joy sounds earnest yet hopeful.
Within each target for change, the band approaches the scene with confidence yet uncertainty. Mt. Joy’s brand-new polished sound and mature demeanor capture the group’s attention to the world.
The last tune, “Strangers” contains lyrical gold with “I’m everything I thought I was, even if I don’t have much/My blue side, my fire eyes, my heart keeps me in the fight/Like if you want freedom, you better free someone/Better not run when I’m blind” then crashing into the tune’s head-banging chorus. The record’s final track feels like a collection of sights, sounds, and emotions exhibited throughout the previous twelve tracks but labels itself as its own style.
Mt. Joy’s Rearrange Us delivers a taste of developed sound and ripe criticism of today’s world. The Indie-rock and Americana quintet finds themselves preaching for a rearranged, refreshed love. The band provides a world-defining album that showcases their magnetic personalities and candid lyricism.
May the world rearrange itself and may Mt. Joy bring the good that it needs.