Warpaint Returns With Renewed Energy on ‘Heads Up’

Matt Matasci

After spending a year apart to work on solo projects, Warpaint wanted to take a fresh approach on “Heads Up.” The Los Angeles quartet was known for creating moody, guitar-driven art rock, and despite the critical  acclaim of their first two albums, “The Fool” and “Warpaint,” the band felt their studio sound was vastly different from their live sound, and sought to instill a more fun, danceable vibe into their latest, and Warpaint are at least partially successful here.

The opening track from “Heads Up” provides instant gratification for those looking forward to the band’s adjusted sound. The song begins with a sinewy arpeggio not unlike those that defined their first two LPs, but quickly deviates with electronic nuances and a stronger groove. With each band member possessing a unique vocal tone and delivery, the layered chants and wails hit the listener from every corner of the mix.

Lead single, “New Song,” is the most blatant attempt by the band at making a straight-up dance song. With a wiggling guitar figure, pop-oriented vocal effects and a four-on-the-floor beat, it’s the band’s most buoyant-ever track. The simple chorus of “You’re a new song / You’re a new song baby / You’re a new song to me” detracts from the brilliance of the verses but is not enough to weigh down the song.

“The Stall” is more subtle in terms of reaching for a more upbeat sound than the dance-pop of “New Song” while producing similar results. The band jazzy keyboards and funky guitar stabs punctuate the chorus; and provides one of the album’s finest songwriting moments.

It’s a shame that the rest of “Heads Up” does not fall into the “New Song” groove.  Try as they may, Warpaint has a hard time shaking their defining gloominess. “By Your Side” opens with an electronic drum beat that hints at a dance track buoyancy, but the descends into dirge-like qualities. Later, the stripped down electronic and vocal quality of “Don’t Wanna” creates a haunting atmosphere that fails to take off.   

Two late album tracks pick up momentum for the closing stretch. “Dre” features a bombastic beat with echoing electronics and a delicate guitar riff that, as strange as it sounds, recalls dream-pop group, Beach House. Next, “Heads Up” begins in a deceptive manner with distant, wordless vocals and a somber piano chord progression. A little more than a minute into the song, the pacing picks up with a bouncing, palm muted guitar riff and melodic-but-unsettling harmonies.

Ultimately, Warpaint were not completely successful injecting manic energy into their moody sound. With the exception of the title track and first two singles, “Heads Up” sounds much like its predecessors. But the chemistry between Emily Kokal, Theresa Wayman, Jenny Lee Lindberg and Stella Mozgawa remains strong and Warpaint has created a memorable album.

“Heads Up” is available from Apple Music on Sept. 23.