Lou Barlow - Goodnight Unkown

A new album from a veteran musician always produces a certain measure of anticipation, and Goodnight Unknown by Lou Barlow is no exception.

The 43-year-old artist, a founding member of seminal bands Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh, tends to drift between lo-fi rock and folk styles. With rhythm and vocals creating a powerful and distinct sound, Goodnight fits right into this history and blazes little new ground. 

Although the new recordings are similar to his last solo release, Emoh, Barlow’s signature angst is even more tangible now. Shifting between breathy melodies and rock anthems—sometimes mid-song—Barlow creates tracks that are both edgy and relaxed. With Dale Crover of Melvins laying down steady percussion to match the almost hypnotic rhythm guitar, the music becomes saturated with a sense of desperation and restlessness. 

Barlow’s simple lyrics complement the catchy nature of the music, but sometimes the tunesmith’s work just becomes too catchy. He builds a song to a climax and works back down afterwards. But, throughout the album, the unwavering percussion is inconsistently successful. It grows repetitive after a few tracks that could have as easily used a drum machine. 

“The Right” and “Goodnight Unknown” are both overpowered by these relentless drums, while other tracks seem to have the same monotonous rhythm. “One Machine, One Long Fight” remains enjoyable by recalling retro rock-and-roll with simple, melodic arrangements. On the other hand, “Take Advantage” tones down the intensity, featuring Barlow’s cutest lyrics: “That you’ll love me like a pancake.../Hold me ‘til your arms ache.”

Goodnight Unknown will not disappoint Barlow fans familiar with his particular style. It meets expectations as an improvement on Emoh but only perpetuates the routine instead of breaking from it.