Jack Antonoff has written and produced music for artists of nearly every genre, resulting in a portfolio that features pop classics from Taylor Swift, rap hits from Kendrick Lamar and alternative ballads from Lana Del Rey, to name a few. Although his producing portfolio remains impressively varied, his musical output as founder and frontman of the band Bleachers has stayed surprisingly static since its debut 2014 album. Only recently has Antonoff begun to change the band’s tune, finally imbuing his work with the same musical experimentation that made his producing work so beloved — a trend carried forward on the album “everyone for ten minutes,” released Friday.
Antonoff has mastered the Jersey rock sound, a genre modeled after musicians like Bruce Springsteen who utilized echoing guitars, brassy saxophones and xylophone hits — a genre which has ruled every single Bleachers album. Bleachers’ 2024 self-titled record was the first move away from that homogenous sound, with more synth ballads than flat-out rock songs. The album introduced new sounds and lyrical themes to Bleachers’ discography as a whole, suggesting that its next studio album would build on that progress.
When listeners first press play on “everyone for ten minutes,” they may be disappointed by the familiarity of the opening track. “sideways” sounds excessively similar to Antonoff’s 2021 collaboration with The Boss himself, “Chinatown feat. Bruce Springsteen,” using nearly identical guitar patterns and glockenspiel hits. While the song’s lyrics cover new ground by describing Antonoff’s complicated relationship with music, its instrumentation feels remarkably safe, and more like a step backwards in the band’s musical evolution.
However, the record’s second track smashes clean through that familiar sound, as “the van” begins with a crackling sample of “Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely” by soul group Blue Magic. A spoken-word ballad, “the van” details Antonoff’s experience touring with his first band when he was a teenager. Refrains of “Glory to the ones who know the van / Glory to the ones on the edge” highlight the youthful joy Antonoff found on the road, while specific references to Wawa gas stations and New Jersey firehouse venues paint a vivid picture of the music scene Antonoff grew up in. “the van” is a sharp departure from any recent Bleachers music, and conversely, perhaps one of Bleachers’ best songs yet.
Next, “we should talk” takes an interesting indie-rock turn to expand on the story of “the van,” explaining the breakdown of one of Antonoff’s many bands. Autotuned vocals and echoing guitar notes add a unique depth to the song’s production, but a saxophone-led ending brings the song right back to familiar Springsteen conventions. “you and forever” continues that ubiquitous sound, resulting in a somewhat forgettable love song.
“dirty wedding dress” is another Jersey-rock anthem, but its production features raw vocals and eclectic instrumentals that contrast the smooth, reverb-heavy sound of “you and forever,” providing a more refreshing listening experience. Antonoff explores themes of fame and privacy not yet found in his discography, telling the story of how his wedding day was interrupted by a barrage of Taylor Swift fans who wanted to see the star. The song is an ideal use case for Bleachers’ signature rock, as it brings a fresh interpretation to that comfortable structure in both sound and lyricism, whereas “sideways” and “you and forever” operate on basic formulas that Bleachers has used before.
“take you out tonight” continues the new direction begun by “dirty wedding dress,” opening with surprising organ chords as Antonoff begins to ruminate on how fame has affected his relationship with his wife. On “i can’t believe you’re gone,” Antonoff uses chimes and synths to evoke the nostalgia of winter holidays, examining on how his sister’s death has affected his family. The poignant lines “Sand bottles and essays outlive you, how wrong / This room is a nightmare, this room is my God” are just one example of the song’s stunningly simple, yet emotionally effective lyricism.
“dancing” expands on this theme by describing Antonoff’s experience with grief as “scaling an ice wall.” Its acoustic guitar backing leads smoothly into the experimental “she’s from before,” where banjo and violin headline a folk tune wildly different from previous Bleachers’ songs. Lyrics also showcase new emotional depths, as Antonoff sings about wanting “a son named for [his] hometown” and to “end the mourning game.”
“i’m not joking” echoes the sound of “the van,” tying up the record with a conversational love song that includes some of Antonoff’s greatest romantic lines, such as “I’m not the type to keep you up all night yammering / I know it’s hard for you to sleep in / I want the things that are hard to get easier.” Finally, “upstairs at els” brings it flying home in a joyous explosion of Jersey rock, combining raw vocals with a sitar-like intro in a unique celebration of Antonoff’s career and community at Electric Lady Studios, where he does most of his musical work.
Overall, this record is a beautiful new step for Bleachers, as Antonoff chronicles untold stories about his experience with music, grief and fame, while also trying new sonic material that clearly pays off. However, the second half does seem to outshine the first, as those early songs excluding “the van” are relatively familiar and pale in comparison to the experimentation happening on the rest of the album.
Bleachers is at its very best when Antonoff is re-interpreting the familiar sounds of Jersey rock, adding something new to a proven formula. Still, when he falls into the nostalgic trap that creates songs like “sideways,” he risks losing himself in a sea of preexisting music sounds within Bleachers’ catalogue. There is no shortage of proof that Antonoff has mastered his own rock sound, but “everyone for ten minutes” proves that Bleachers’ best music can be found far from the beaten path.
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