Bartees Strange - Horror

Don’t worry. This album isn’t scary. Probably.

On his third studio album, Horror, Bartees Strange explores the nature of fear. But this isn’t just an attempt to sell a vague "vibe" or an empty concept. Instead, Strange dives deep into what truly unsettles us—uncertainty. In personal life, in society, in politics, in the workplace. He speaks as a young queer Black man in modern America, and that alone carries an inherent weight.

The album’s production credits include the omnipresent Jack Antonoff alongside Yves Rothman and notcharles. Together, they craft a portrait of a modern alternative artist who thinks beyond the expected and creates with a boldness that sometimes feels excessive.

This approach works about as much as it doesn’t. The album offers a wide range of styles, genres, and sonic textures, shifting in mood and tempo from track to track. This diversity keeps things engaging—you’re bound to listen all the way through and find personal highlights. But at the same time, the album's expansiveness prevents it from feeling like a cohesive whole, even though that may have been the original intention.

The first half flows effortlessly, opening with the powerful alt-rock anthem “Too Much”, which sets the stage with themes of fear and unworthiness in love. By the midpoint, with “Lovers” and “Doomsday Buttercup”, the album loses some of its initial momentum, making the abrupt tonal shifts more noticeable. However, it quickly rebounds with “17”, another standout track touching on themes of isolation and the struggle to break out of one’s own world to embrace something new.

In the end, Horror is an uneven yet undeniably talented body of work. It may not be the most cohesive album, but it will certainly find its audience and add a few tracks to almost anyone’s playlist.

7.2/10

Album released via 4AD.