Bleachers - Gone Now (2017) [Hi-Res]

As one of music’s most sought-after songwriters, Jack Antonoff pens stadium-pop hits for Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Carly Rae Jepsen. But as Bleachers—his thundering, belt-your-heart-out, '80s-esque pop-rock project—he’s totally, authentically himself. “I’m a white, Jewish kid from New Jersey,” he told Beats 1. “That’s what my music sounds like, whether I like it or not—and I actually do like it.” Bleachers’ spirited second album is an impassioned tribute to his idols—The Beatles and Bruce Springsteen—with support from contemporary producers like Nineteen85 (Drake, DVSN) and Sounwave (Kendrick Lamar). The entire record could soundtrack a John Hughes film, but there are standouts: “Don’t Take the Money,” a Vince Clarke-produced anthem about not selling out, and “Everybody Lost Somebody,” a heart-on-sleeve ballad with an E-Street Style sax solo.

New York City-based indie rock band Bleachers is the solo project of Fun. guitarist Jack Antonoff. Formed while Antonoff was touring in support of Fun.'s Grammy-nominated 2012 album, Some Nights, Bleachers' slick and emotional pop music is heavily influenced by the '80s and the high school-based films of John Hughes, while still using modern production techniques. Their debut single, "I Wanna Get Better," was released in the spring of 2014 by RCA, with an album, Strange Desire, following that summer. The record was produced in part by John Hill and Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Yaz, Erasure), and featured appearances by Yoko Ono and Grimes. After the record's release, Antonoff put together a live band and launched a tour that lasted through much of 2015. In September, Bleachers released Terrible Thrills, Vol. 2, which featured versions of all the songs from Strange Desire performed by female artists, including Carly Rae Jepsen, Elle King, Tinashe, and Antonoff's sister Rachel.