The Grownup Noise make a blissful comeback with ‘No Straight Line in the Universe’

Recommended Tracks: “We Become Roses,” “Back to Me,” “Us Fools”
Artists You Might Like: Jack Johnson, American Authors, Phillip Phillips

We deserve to be kind to ourselves. The jobs we go to, the people we live with, the friends we make time for, the tumultuous society we embrace every day—living is not for the faint of heart. And it’s easy to forget that we should go easy on ourselves as we try to deal. Adulthood gives us opportunities to reflect, to grow, and to realign, but overall, it tells us that there are so many paths to take. On The Grownup Noise’s sixth album, No Straight Line in the Universe, they provide an escape from daily life and remind us that we don’t have answers. We don’t need permission. We just need to be.

As we get older, we come across people we want to grow with through life. On “We Become Roses,” The Grownup Noise present us with a warm, romantic scene with minimal accompaniment and simple melodies. Meanwhile, vocalists Paul Hansen and Katie Franich share what it’s like to share a life with someone in lines like, “Hey let’s watch that movie you keep telling me that I gotta see / Who’s that actor from that show you got a crush on?” and “I promise you can pick the music, I’ll listen to anything you want.” It’s a patient song full of heart and curiosity, and it sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Elsewhere, songs like “See You in the Hall” focus on those who shape us. Here, a cool folk-rock vibe kicks in with steady drums before expanding to include some smooth guitar lines in the choruses. It’s a perfect soundtrack to lyrics like, “I always thought that we would walk down the aisle of / More than a convenience store” and “Just one more kiss to rule them all / I’ll see you in the hall,” which recall a sense of youthful desire and longing. With “Anxiety” and “Change Your Mind,” this longing morphs into an eagerness to explore. There’s a wanderlust spirit on “Anxiety,” as we hear, “Tell me, how did we get here? (Maybe it’s a dream, we’ll wake up and see) / Hey, there’s something up ahead (What could it be, it’s just you and me).” Basically, it doesn’t matter what’s coming, as long as you have the right person beside you when it arrives. If not, you’re allowed to “Change Your Mind” on who that person is and what’s going on, which we get on this sunny-sounding track. It’s very brief, but it speaks to the necessity of such a notion.

There are moments when The Grownup Noise also reflect on who they have and what they’ve been through. With “Where’s K?” time is scrutinized. Against the tropical grooves are wistful lines like, “Well, I miss you all the same / Now we’re all grown up now / With different lives / In different times / But those days, they linger,” as old memories resurface. There’s also “Day Moon,” a calm folk-rock song about re-connection. It’s imploring, with lyrics like, “I miss our conversations about nothing / I miss the way you dress / So subtle yet insane / How do you pull it off?” and “I’m sorry, I know it’s your day off / But you’re such a great performer / Won’t you show me what it costs?” While there is a need to go back to an earlier time, there is a push to move on that comes through on “Plaything.” This is the song you go to after a breakup, when you feel like you’re not meant to be in someone’s life anymore. Even though we get downhearted lyrics like, “Oh, how can it possibly be, love / When you told me that you’d love me so true?” we still get lively instrumentals that offset the heartbreak. But if this track still brings you down, you can turn up “Back to Me.” It’s cozy, light, and comforting, much like old times spent with someone you love. Here, Paul sings, “It’s been a long time / I ran into you at the store / We watched a movie on the floor / Eyes closed and I think real hard / Back to the days we had a running start” and concludes, “I remember how it feels to be in love.”

Of course, there are times when The Grownup Noise pull away from others and search for meaning in other places. They “Get Lost” at one point, with rhythmic guitar riffs and whimsical string lines that make for an enchanting getaway. Paul and Katie tell us, “It’s not so easy / Hiding from a meaning / Or running from a reason / Just give it what you got.” These are words to live by, and you can take them with you as you go down the “Rabbit Hole.” On this casual and relaxed track, a sense of loneliness creeps in the further we go. We hear, “Why am I looking just to see what I’m looking for? / It don’t make any sense / ‘Cause there ain’t one straight line in the universe,” alluding to the album title. The dramatic string work that follows provides a shift, a sense of urgency, as if going down the rabbit hole won’t do any good. It’s important to prioritize and stand up for your beliefs, which is what we hear on the closing track, “Us Fools.” You don’t have to be perfect, and you probably won’t get everything you ask for in life, but you can always make the most of things. Paul and Katie observe, “Maybe it’s true that I ask for too much / Life ain’t all bad / Even if you lose / The beauty is sweeter for us fools.”

Over the years, The Grownup Noise has changed, but they are back to their original lineup on this album. The members pursued different interests, started families, and were separated by the forces of the universe. With No Straight Line in the Universe, they celebrate these complex forces and the beauty of reunion. They touch on adulthood and the ways it manifests through relationships, memories, and the passing of time. All the while, The Grownup Noise sing with a conversational prose and set forth a blissful sound that beckons listeners to escape from the demands of life. In the end, there are so many lines to draw, and we are allowed to draw them in any form we like.