A passionate, heartfelt ode with a guest appearance by The Boss.
There’s nothing wrong with paying homage to past musical trends, as long as you have the songwriting to back it. Producer Jack Antonoff’s band, Bleachers, places its sound firmly between the heartland rock of the 70s and the New Wave of the 80s. But he does it with affection and an undeniable ear for melody. “chinatown” might be Bleachers’ best work yet.
With a deep and steady acoustic guitar rumble and one hell of an earworm synth melody, “chinatown” builds a smoldering vibe of desire and love. In a confessional outreach, Antonoff sings, “I’ll take you out of the city/Honey, right into the shadow/’Cause I wanna find tomorrow.” His voice gradually rises throughout the song, his intensity growing with every line. Then, just when you think the song can’t raise the stakes any higher, Bruce Springsteen joins in on the chorus, his voice adding a gravitas and power that only The Boss can bring.
“chinatown” is out now.