The Lumineers - Automatic
For years, The Lumineers have been a revolutionary group within the modern Folk scene. The group, composed of Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites, have put out many iconic albums with some very popular tracks including Cleopatra, Sleep on the Floor, and Hey Ho. After the release of their third album Brightside in 2022, the group seemed to take a break, with fans unsure of when their return to the studio would be. Fortunately, the group decided to kick off the new year with the release of their fourth album Automatic, released on February 14th, 2025.
The Lumineers albums have always featured a variety of different sounds on their records, but they have always stayed true to their alternative/folk sound. This album features lots of rich piano, and a variety of percussion and strings, while also maintaining that classic “stripped-down” acoustic sound that we know them by. The first single released off the record was entitled Same Old Song, and is now the title track of this album. The track featured an upbeat, fast-paced drum beat along with a strong acoustic melody. This group brings so much to the table lyrically with each release they put out, and this album was no different. The Lumineers have a talent of being able to put out music that highlights the human experience, both good and bad, so beautifully. The track carries a joyous melody followed with lyrics passing along a message of navigating the world around you while everything always seems so chaotic and impossible to manage.
The album features 11 tracks, including two instrumental interludes. These interludes were something that I always loved about The Lumineers albums, they tend to have one or two per album, but even these musical interludes tell a story. The first interlude Strings features (as you could assume) an array of beautifully arranged cello and violin, and has a run time of 34 seconds. The second interlude, Sunflowers, highlights a beautiful, ringy piano ballad that feels reminiscent of a Sunflower growing, and runs for 1 minute and 20 seconds. Another track to highlight would be the title track of the album Automatic. I think this track perfectly sets the tone for this album with the somber piano and heart-wrenching lyrics that has become a relative “home base” for the group. Ironically, though this album was released on Valentine's Day, the entire album seems to highlight much more about loss than love when you look into the lyrics.
My personal favorite track off this album would be the eighth track on the album, Keys on the Table. This song sums up, to me, the entire message of the album. This album had absolutely zero skips, so picking a favorite proved to be difficult. However, this track highlights the best aspects of The Lumineers lyricism and musicality. This jam specifically combines, to me, what is the entire message of this record. The lyrics are bittersweet, as they so often are, but they deliver a message of a one-sided, struggling relationship. A message where one side of the relationship heavily depends on someone, but they can no longer feel the same way. I appreciate the callback in the chorus of this track to an earlier track on the album entitled You're All I Got. This phrase is repeated multiple times throughout the chorus of Keys on the Table, which is a nice touch to tie together the entire record. This song features the group's classic acoustic “folk” sound, along with their somber piano and mellow drums. This, in context with the rest of the album, proves to be a fantastic track to represent the entire project because of its ability to highlight all the sounds that represent the roots of this album and The Lumineers themselves.
If you are someone who enjoys playing a record all the way through, no skips, Automatic is definitely a contender. This album emphasizes and accurately represents the human experience through love and devotion to someone that is not always matched. The group's undying ability to take well-written, heart-wrenching lyrics and turn them into a song that gives you a sense of hope and comfort will always be unmatched. If you are a heartbreaker, had your heart broken, or are looking to search a little deeper into the soul, Automatic by The Lumineers is definitely worth your time!