Strange Disciple by Nation of Language

“I’m dubious they can continue in this same direction without bringing something new to their sound” is how I ended my review of Nation of Language’s 2nd album, A Way Forward (at #4 in 2021). Not only have they continued in the same direction as that great album, they’ve somehow managed to surpass its greatness, all while staying true to their synth pop gods. Strange Disciple, the trio from Brooklyn’s third album, is their best yet.

They first announced the album back in April, along with the first track, the unbelievably catchy “Weak in Your Light.” For the next five months they slow-rolled three more fantastic songs, bringing my excitement for the full album to a fever pitch by the time it came out on September 15. It was very much worth the wait.

In a way, the band hasn’t changed all that much since their 2020 album, Introduction, Presence (#15 in 2020. Those 10 songs mix well with the 10 songs on A Way Forward and the 10 songs on Strange Disciple, making for one hell of a >2 hour block of songs (Introduction is 43 minutes long, and Forward and Disciple are both 44 minutes each. The band is the definition of “consistent”). If you listened to either of their past albums, then this new album will feel like you discovered an entirely new wing on your home behind a bookcase, complete with neon-colored, gorgeously-decorated spaces and a dance floor.

Check out the amazing video for their song “Too Much, Enough” above. Directed by Robert Kolodny (director of Netflix’s The Featherweight), it features Jimmi Simpson (from Always Sunny and Westworld) and a slew of other actors and musicians (Reggie Watts, Kevin Morby (#3 in 2022), Tomberlin, Adam Green from The Moldy Peaches, LVL UP’s Greg Rutkin) all acting like members of a local news production while lip syncing to the song. It’s absurdist qualities align well to those of the song, which is “a song born out of an exhaustion with the 24 hour news cycle and the outrage bait it uses to get everyone permanently wound up,” according to the statement the band issued when the video came out. They’ve released two other videos from the album, for “Sightseer” and “Sole Obsession.”

Nation of Language are just hitting their stride. I fully expect their next album to be #1 on the Top 31 — they’ve proven their formula works, it’s expandable, and I absolutely love it.