Dirty Projectors have not released an album since 2012, but, now, following an apparent breakup with core vocalist Amber Coffman, it seems founder David Longstreth has nine tracks as part of a new self-titled he is prepared to share with us all. (The record is to be released February 24 via Domino Records.) Among these tracks is "Up In Hudson", a self-referential, clear-eyed depiction of the beginning and end of Longstreth's relationship with Coffman. It tells the all-too-common story of two people in a committed relationship who evolve in different ways and drift apart. The song's chorus reinforces the depressing acceptance of love lost, and it is delivered in an upbeat manner, which makes us question whether this is a depressing sentiment at all. It seems Longstreth is stressing that fading love is natural—that things start good and then turn bad—and that that's just how it is. Also, we would be remiss not to draw your attention to the closing lines of the final verse, which reference both Kanye and Tupac: "Now I’m listening to Kanye on the Taconic Parkway riding fast / and you're out in Echo Park blasting Tupac, drinking a fifth for my ass".
Dirty Projectors