My initial reaction to
Don't Let Go, the new album from The Airport 77s (out today on Jem Records), was that it was very surprising. But the more I think about, the more I realize I shouldn't be surprised about being surprised by this band.
When I first heard The Airport 77s four and-a-half years ago, they were a very good power pop band. And certainly they could have just continued to be a very good power pop band for years without any complaints on my end. But instead they spread their wings (pun probably intended) and became something far more complex and far greater. While still broadly a power pop/guitar pop/pop-rock/whatever you wanna call it record, 2022's We Realize You Have a Choice was also heavily inspired by new wave, arena rock, '80s indie/alternative, and even a little hair metal. And what had become obvious was that no two Airport 77s songs were ever going to sound alike. This was no longer a band that I liked because they liked bands that I liked. This was now a band I liked because they were talented, original, and absolutely terrific songwriters. Not so long ago, I officially proclaimed We Realize You Have a Choice my sixth-favorite album of this decade. I've been looking forward to a follow-up for a long time, and I can tell you that Don't Let Go is a considerable departure (pun definitely intended) from its predecessor. I can also tell you that that's very much a good thing.
Don't worry: there are still pop hooks a plenty on Don't Let Go. And several of its songs fit nicely into the power pop lane. But this record shows The Airport 77s to be capable of far more than even I thought. While the album has its playful moments (lead single "If It's On, I'm In" may inspire an entire nation to sign up to clown), it also includes several songs that are serious and thoughtful without a hint of silliness. If I were writing script for a '70s-style TV ad for this album, I might come up with a tagline like, "The Airport 77s show their sensitive sides!" Even with its retro appeal, "1999 (Take Me Back)" is a sincere ode to loss and longing. The title track is a haunting tone poem that leaves much open to interpretation but definitely feels darker than anything this band has ever done. "Anyone But You" is about the millionth pop song to lament unrequited love, but there's something about this one that really tugs at the old heartstrings. "Satellite" is a beautiful reflection on having to let go of someone very special. I can't figure out which specific illicit substance "Like Falling in Love" is a paean to, but the analogy is spot-on. "The Hands of Time," drummer John Kelly's debut as a lead singer and songwriter, is a heartfelt Beatlesque number that might leave you a little misty-eyed.
Part of the different dynamic for The Airport 77s on this record is the one-off addition of the legendary Cal Everett on bass and vocals. Well-known in power pop circles for his time in 4 Out of 5 Doctors, Everett sings harmony vocals with Andy Sullivan on a couple tracks and takes the lead on his songs "Anyone But You" and "She's Everything" (which is truly a perfect power pop song). His bass work throughout the album is brilliant and perfectly complementary to Sullivan's guitars and Kelly's drums. So much of what makes this album great is the band's willingness (and ability) to stray from the conventions of straight power pop. Sullivan's epic guitar solo on "1999 (Take Me Back)" is a nod to Prince's obvious influence on the song. "Girl On Fire" is certainly the first song in the history of time to reimagine Charles Ives' "Circus Band" with a rhumba beat and hair metal guitar break and come out sounding like it could have been a Knack tune. The gorgeously haunting "Don't Let Go," perhaps the album's most unexpected track, brings to mind moody '80s post-punk. The way Sullivan and Everett build atmosphere on this song with their instrumental work is remarkable. "Make 'Em Pay (Don't Make it Easy)" is the outlaw road ballad meets power pop sing-along I never realized I needed in my life. "Satellite" is another incredible surprise: a tender, lush ballad that sounds like it ought to be playing over the closing credits of a movie. Sullivan's vocal is extraordinary: you can feel his heart and soul in every word he sings. If you're a parent, this song will give you all the feels. Who knew The Airport 77s could give us this kind of Kenny Loggins energy, and who knew I would love it so much?
What I like about Don't Let Go is that it's an album built the right way: it has some pop hits; it has some top-notch deep cuts; and it doesn't mess around with filler. It offers plenty for fans of power pop, but it also takes a number of chances which pay off handsomely. I knew Andy Sullivan could write a great pop song, but on this album he also gets to play guitar hero and really challenge himself as a songwriter and vocalist. I'm not usually one to talk about technical playing, but the musicianship on this record is crazy good in a way truly serves the material. Hearing this album and what the band has achieved on it has been like showing up to graduation and finding that the class clown is also the valedictorian. If this is indeed The Airport 77s' "emo" album, you can't deny that they've nailed it.
