As one of the largest forms of entertainment, music is no stranger to politics. Kendrick Lamar, for example, is heavily praised for his use of catchy music in getting his message across, even having conceptualized the entirety of “DAMN.” based off of his experiences growing up as a black man in America.

Parquet Courts is another great example of this. Many who are drawn in from their catchy, post-pop tracks find themselves caught in the band’s strong arguments.

On “Wide Awaaaaake!,” Parquet Courts packs their fiercest social commentary to date with smooth, catchy tracks guaranteed to leave whoever crosses its path with a mark.

Throughout the record, Andrew Savage and Austin Brown touch on subjects such as police brutality, normalization of violence in America, and Earth’s eventual demise through global warming.

The album explodes out of the gate with “Total Football,” an anthem dedicated to questioning authority and asking if we’re all too focused on minor issues to realize we’re being oppressed.

While mainly focusing on political upheaval, the record also contains a number of personal anecdotes and life lessons focused on self-betterment and the true meaning of love to the average person.

On tracks like “Almost Had to Start a Fight / In and Out of Patience,” Savage shares lines such as “I want, I want, I want, I want not to feel numb about death; finding, finding, finding, finding peace is not an easy task.” He finds himself in a position in which he can’t justify his life in a deemed capitalistic nightmare.

With its heavy inclination towards politics, “Wide Awaaaaake!” is easy to listen to but hard to digest. Whether it resonates or not is a choice left to the listener.

Quick take: On “Wide Awaaaaake!”, Parquet Courts packs their fiercest social commentary to date with smooth, catchy tracks guaranteed to leave whoever crosses its path with a mark.

   With its heavy inclination towards politics, the record is easy to listen to but hard to digest. Whether it resonates or not is a choice left to the listener.