Content warning: this article discusses themes of suicide and mental ill-health
Favourite Track: Steve
Least Favourite Track: I Shaved My Head
Songs Added to my Playlist: 5
Album Rating : 7/10
With a title drawn from a fatal car accident, La Dispute’s album, No One Was Driving The Car, was one that caught the attention of many post-hardcore fans.
After the letdown of their 2019 album, Panorama, I was curious to see if La Dispute had traded their harsh, piercing sound for a softer tone.
The path to post-hardcore
I am a huge fan of all kinds of music, but as of late, I have had a keen ear for post-hardcore and emo rock music. Bands like Saosin and Silverstein had shaped my music taste from a young age.
It wasn’t until recently that I discovered the unique sound of La Dispute.
I first heard the aggressive and emotional storytelling of vocalist Jordan Dreyer in their 2011 hit song King Park back in 2023.
Since my discovery of King Park, I dove straight into more of their records and discovered that they were performing at the UC Hub. I only managed to see a few songs, but it was clear to me that I liked this band’s sound and deep lyricism.
No One Was Driving The Car was an album I was very excited to hear, and when the first few tracks were released early, I knew that this could be a return to the sound that drew me in.
The breakdown
The album kicks off with I Shaved My Head which has quite a bland, solid chord sound to it. This song is probably my least favourite on the record.
The track inches back towards their early sound but struggles to show the band’s true musical ability.
It features the well-known punchy vocals. But static chords and drum patterns left me with an unsatisfied itch for the classic La Dispute sound.
The Album straight away bounces back with Man with Hands and Ankles Bound which features super descriptive, storytelling vocals and a much faster pace coming from the drums and guitar.
Dreyer places listeners into a confronting scene by opening the song with the words
‘Past Midnight you’re peeking,
Your neighbours open window shades,
Saw a man crouched on the hardwood,
On his knees and elbows splayed,
Like an offering, an Altar Call reordering.’
The lyrics in this song carry themes of voyeurism, shame and a power imbalance displayed in a bondage relationship. This is a metaphor for modern-day Americans and their submission to controlling authorities and governments.
The next notable track for me on the album was the rollercoaster ride of Environmental Catastrophe film.
The slow build of the instruments supports Dreyer’s vocals to build tension and anticipation for the crescendo at the end of the song.
This song tells the story of the industrialisation and pollution of their hometown, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The song has three parts, which start off from the perspective of a boy at a flowing river, enjoying his time.
The second part returns to the boy at the river as he begins to see the lack of control he has over the river and turns the river into a metaphor for his life.
The final part of this song uses the city’s history of furniture making as another metaphor to show how modern society has turned life into a meaningless thing.
‘Carve it all away
Throw it in the flames, turn it into heat
Let it keep us warm at least and me’
The heart of the record
My personal favourite song from the album is Steve. The track discusses the tragic story of a suicide by reflecting on times shared with this person.
It shows how their reckless behaviour, ignorance of mental health and a die-young attitude led to the tragic suicide.
It highlights themes of guilt and mental health in a depth that hits home the second time you listen to the album.
It shows an interesting perspective of suicide and mental health that isn’t something commonly talked about, let alone sung about.
The song makes me feel like I am running from memories that haunt me. Each section takes me through different moments I’d like to run from.
The outro
From Steve onwards, the final few tracks maintain a sombre yet powerful vibe. The emotion Dreyer shows in I Dreamt Of A Room With All My Friends I Could Not Get In, is another highlight of this album.
After listening to it, it made everything else quiet and made me think of my own emotions and feelings.
It provides a great segue into the title track, No One Was Driving The Car. This Acoustic piece would’ve made a great ending to the album.
The band decided to finish on End Times Sermon, which slows the pace down a bit, being another acoustic piece. The vocals in this piece are very clear and have themes of existential dread.
It focuses on finding meaning in the peace of nature and challenging mental health for personal growth. This is a great way to combat a lot of the themes of societal decay explored in earlier songs.
Summary
Is this La Dispute’s best album ever? No.
While I think that it is one of their better records. It lacks the experimental sound and musical technicality found on their earlier albums, such as Wildlife.
No One Was Driving The Car does an incredible job at telling different stories and then linking them all into one message in the final track.
I look forward to seeing more from La Dispute in the future and to hopefully see them return to Australia soon.
Original photos by Toby Gibbons
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