Deluxe

13 years, 4 months, and 27 days after the release of “Polishing Peanuts,” which introduced them to the world, Deluxe—the band of die-hard moustachioed musicians—is soon releasing their 7th album. Much like its 6 composers, songwriters, and performers, this record is athletic, melancholic, bulimic, and borderline schizophrenic. Both in the themes tackled and the styles that blend and follow one another without transition—a classical saxophone fugue sits right in the middle of a multitude of pop-rocky-pop tracks, Brazilian variety (“Windows Open” featuring Luizga), nostalgic lizard punk (“Where the f*ck is Jason?” featuring Mr.J Medeiros), and even reggae hip-hop (“Caliente” featuring Twan Tee)—the eclecticism of the repertoire remains downright pathological for these thirty-something southerners who are now partly parents. I'm mentioning their family situations because this project, akin to the first baby of those who are now parents to actual human beings, has seen its members grow up together since 2007, and even since childhood for the bass, drums, and guitar trio. The balance between biological and musical family has been central to the creation of this record, which oozes with the questions inherent to this upending moment in life.

The 6 moustachios are thrilled to still be sticking together as a band after so many personal storms and summits scaled with heart; their 7th album will be released in spring 2025.