Strangeness is not altogether a new concept for Parquet Courts, a NYC-based band that resists labels but falls somewhere between garage rock and post-punk, with an overarching sympathy for “indie” (whatever that means today). The arty group have gained notoriety for their intelligent lyrics and self-aware sound, especially since their widely appreciated 2012 record, Light Up Gold. “Berlin Got Blurry,” off their latest album Human Performance, adroitly describes the experience of being a foreigner in a foreign land—more specifically, an American in a city known far and wide for its artful strangeness, Berlin. The country twang of the lead guitar complements Andrew Savage’s unique voice, reminiscent of vintage Joe Strummer, as he sings:
Feels so effortless to be a stranger
But feeling foreign is such a lonely habit
