Detroit indie rock band Mental Health Day has returned with their third studio album, Altruistic.
With a 10-track collection, the album is built on reflection, frustration, and introspection. The nature of mental health (per the band name) is to reveal two sides of the same coin: a lens that allows one to see both the positives and negatives of one’s psyche. While past releases have a more optimistic tone, Altruistic fogs it with modernity and an impossible positive conclusion.
The band’s sound is heavily influenced by the sounds of more modern and classic greats like Radiohead and Fleetwood Mac among others. The composition can be comparable to Fleetwood Mac, specifically, with the usage of acoustic instruments. With Jeffrey Cantwell and David Houston as listed composers in all the songs within the album, there’s a consistent path that each song takes.
Kicking things off is “Get Along to Go Along,” which showcases the influence of the many rock artists that Mental Health Day has held dear over the years. The length of the track — which is over 8 minutes — sets the tone and sentiment for the rest of the album. The messages that are ingrained are a beautiful payoff — not drowning in the past, and looking towards the present and the near future.
A scene where two people are just sitting at a bar alone is a nice setting for their fifth track, “Mixology.” The clever track follows two people who want to communicate and get along, but there are challenging traits of each person that make it impossible. The metaphors go beyond the bar setting, exploring personal flaws that can distort best intentions. It emphasizes that retracing scenarios is similar to the need to constantly consume alcohol.
Another notable track, “The World to Come,” is knowing the viewpoint of a passionate artist being seen as the villain of the tale. The song removes any context of what is happening, both in the lyrics themselves but also in the little info that the audience gets while listening. It’s thinning in black & white in a world that runs on gray shades.
Mental Health Day’s Altruistic doesn’t aim to resolve life’s questions; rather, it sits with contradictions and leans towards discomfort. “The title is at least half tongue-in-cheek and sarcastic, yet we’re still human enough and invested enough in the world that we still strive to live up to the title earnestly, whenever possible, combating our own cynicism and embracing our hearts,” states the band.
The new album follows their debut, You Could Be Anywhere (2016), and Iterations (2019).
