Reason in Decline is an album by the American band Archers of Loaf, released in 2022. It was their first album in 24 years. The band supported the album with a North American tour. The first single was "In the Surface Noise".
Production Eric Bachmann wrote many of the songs during the COVID lockdown. "Screaming Undercover" criticizes capitalism. "Aimee" is a tribute to a longtime relationship.
Critical reception
Pitchfork noted that "longtime fans may balk at how clean this record sounds, how guitars that once seemed to shed sparks as they ground against one another now lock into recognizable harmonies." The Tallahassee Democrat wrote that "Human" "stomps like the Loaf of old, with Bachmann's weathered baritone lifting if out of the mosh pit." The Chicago Reader opined that Reason in Decline feels "like the perfect progression from (and a de facto companion piece to) the matured songwriting on White Trash Heroes." AllMusic deemed the album "a brave, compelling, and surprisingly moving set of songs." Record Collector called it "twin-guitar-squealing, drum-thumping rock."
Track listing
Personnel
Archers of Loaf Eric Bachmann Matt Gentling Eric Johnson Mark Price
Additional musicians Alan Weatherhead – pedal steel (5), Mellotron (5)
Technical Archers of Loaf – production Adam McDaniel – production Alex Farrar – engineering, mixing, co-production Bob Weston – mastering
Art and design Daniel Murphy – design Kate Fix – band photo
References