The Album
Antisocialites
Antisocialites hands you a brush to paint watercolour brushstrokes over the backdrop of a dreary and monochromatic world.
Alvvays’ music is a medium for an escape to a happier place. Life can be overwhelming, relationships can be imperfect, and often times there is little we can do about it. But why dwell on it?
This is the MO that Alvvays lets shine on their newest album Antisocialites. Alvvays’ music acts as an escape to a dream world filled with kaleidoscope colours and childlike energy. Shadows and darkness are replaced with cheer and energy filtered through rose coloured glasses. The album is so contagiously charming that it can turn the darkest days sunny.
Nowhere is this message embodied more than in the final song on the album “Forget About Life”. “Did you want to forget about life with me tonight?” is a plea for the listener to succumb to the music and lower their guard to the numbing joy that the album invites you to take part in. And in the 30 minutes and some change, Antisocialites allows you to smile your fears away, and leaves you with a more uplifting view on everything around you when the vinyl stops spinning.
The Food
Sushi & Miso Pesto Noodles
While sushi shops now decorate every street corner, the history behind one of the most consumed foods on earth has much more humble beginnings.
After long days of fishing to provide for their families, Japanese fishers would ferment the fish with rice, rice vinegar and salt to prevent it from spoiling. The rice was then often thrown out. Realizing that the rice was still edible after the fish had fermented, farmers tried eating the rice with the fish, aptly naming it sushi, or “sour tasting”. Eventually, the dish caught on, and bamboo was soon used to style the rice and fish and wrapped with seaweed to become the delicacy we know today.
Ramen noodles have also been a staple in Japanese households for generations. Inspired by Chinese noodles, ramen noodles are thick, chewy, and pack an unassuming umami punch. Allowing the noodles to bathe in a spinach and cilantro dressing puts the flavour of miso on a pedestal, flushing out the distinct flavour of the noodles and adding a leafy bitterness to the dish. Sesame seeds are pivotal to top it off, with a crunch and subtle nutty taste adding complexity to the dish.
A juicy IPA allows you to wash each bite down with a tantalizing kick, and adds to the funk and excitement of the dish.
The Experience
The record acts as an outlet to pent up frustration and releases it in the form of charm and positivity. Its unexpected naivety disarms negativity through its technicolour energy exploding into the conscience of the listeners.
The pairing of sushi and noodles is a timeless combination with a bold and exciting twist on it. The flavours pop out at you, but not in an exhausting or overwhelming way. They hit parts of your taste buds that are often left dormant, with the weightlessness of the sushi and the savour of the miso lighting your mouth up like pop rocks.
The experience is incredibly energizing. It is about looking at things with a new and enlightening perspective. The experience was born out of resilience. It is explosive, exciting, charming, and incredibly satisfying.
Left the apartment in a state of disarray Tried out the synthesizer you bought yesterday When the failures of the past, they multiply And you trivialize the things that keep your hand from mine
Did you want to forget about life? Did you want to forget about life with me tonight? Under condominium signs Did you want to forget about life with me tonight?
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