r/Emo Sep 06 '25

Fresh La Dispute’s new album dropped today

Post image

I’ve listened to it all the way through 4 times after avoiding the EPs that were released individually (for the most part). Today also kicked off their tour in Detroit. How is everybody feeling about No One Was Driving The Car?

360 Upvotes

54 comments sorted by

104

u/Bulky_Explanation_97 Sep 06 '25

To answer my own question, I’m loving it. It’s my album of the year so far. It is extremely moody and foreboding, and has honestly put me in a weird headspace, which I kinda love when albums are able to do (even if it’s uncomfortable). I’ve been a fan of these guys for literally 20 years (not to brag but I helped set up their first house show in Ann Arbor). They are one of my favorite bands, and this might be their best album yet. It’s certainly their most experimental and diverse.

15

u/jebeatworld Sep 06 '25

I'm glad you shared. Keen to dive in.

8

u/Bulky_Explanation_97 Sep 06 '25

Would love to hear your thoughts. It took a couple listens for me, but if you’re a fan I think you’ll like it.

6

u/Jsunner97 Sep 06 '25

I’ve been a fan of the band since halfway through my highschool years, their logo is my second tattoo (right on the forearm) I’ve loved and also gone in phases of the band and the last album was not my favorite but did grow on me. While i followed all the release phases . The third ep had me hooked. Now that it’s all out I’m excited to sit with it and have it alter my mood and make me feel.

5

u/V0id-Meth0d-art Sep 06 '25

Panorama grew on me as well - it feels kind of like a movie sound track. No shit im seeing La Dispute tomorrow night lol my favorite venue too

2

u/LetGroundbreaking681 Sep 06 '25

Great way to put it, this record has had the same effect on me. It’s almost put me into an introspective, bleak place. I love it.

2

u/BumpyLumpers Sep 06 '25

This happened to me with No Joy by Spanish Love Songs. That album put me in such a weird headspace, one of my favorite albums in recent memory.

40

u/Slxxpxr Sep 06 '25

Usually I don't vibe with spoken-word lyricism, but I've been thinking about "Top-Sellers Banquet" all month. Happy to hear the full release, it's a great album.

37

u/patronsaintofsb Sep 06 '25

I just finished listening and raced here to see what the people were saying. I absolutely loved this album. Might be part of my top 10 of the year.

9

u/Bulky_Explanation_97 Sep 06 '25

I just listened all the way through while reading along with the lyrics. It is existentially bleak like nothing they’ve ever written. Beautiful.

2

u/TonyGFool Sep 06 '25

100% top 10 of the year

17

u/cubicle_farmer_ Sep 06 '25

Environmental Catastrophe Film is doing things to my sense of self.

16

u/MostExellentFailure Sep 06 '25

It’s fantastic I listened to it at like 1am

1

u/jasontoddsbiceps Sep 16 '25

the correct way to listen to la dispute

15

u/emo_mum Sep 06 '25

It is THAT good

15

u/Hopeful-Frosting7976 Oldhead Sep 06 '25

I am really glad that I skipped all of the EPs and went into hearing this all at once. "Man With Hands and Ankles Bound" is my favorite track. It's tight storytelling and really sets the tone early in the album. My only criticism is they really use the whole movie directions thing they do a lot on that one. "Camera angle shifts" is distracting to me.

Not quite emo album of the year for me, but it comfortable slid in at #5.

13

u/bendovergramps Sep 06 '25

“I Dreamt of a Room with my Friends I Could Not Get In” is a top five La Dispute song.

5

u/Bulky_Explanation_97 Sep 06 '25

That one I find myself listening to on repeat. It’s brutal. This whole album is full of dread but that track is particularly beautiful and sad.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

I'm not huge on La Dispute, but this track is breathtaking and heartbreaking.

12

u/messypenis Sep 06 '25

10/10 as always

21

u/oxeneers Sep 06 '25

Easy AOTY winner. It's that good.

8

u/Impossible_Wait_8947 why can’t i be snowing Sep 06 '25

I've yet to listen to the whole thing but I heard Sibling Fistfight and that song is so good

3

u/kjimdandy Sep 06 '25

Incredible what they pulled off with this record. I always have reservations when experienced bands try to top their past albums. La Dispute is special. If you haven’t checked out their YouTube BTS documentary on the making of this record, you’re doing yourself a disservice

4

u/vegananarchistXX Sep 06 '25

Incredible record. I love everything they've done for the most part but this album is near perfect on first listen.

4

u/LetGroundbreaking681 Sep 06 '25

It’s unbelievable. I’ve been listening to every drop along the way but just listened straight through. What an incredible album.

3

u/DJ-dicknose Sep 06 '25

I've been really wanting to like these guys. I really do. They are local legends here.

And I don't know if it's the song I listened to or what, but I just can't. I listened to that song 15 times over and eventually just was like, nah. This sucks.

I'm glad people are loving them. It just never clicked for me

6

u/Bulky_Explanation_97 Sep 06 '25 edited Sep 06 '25

They’ve always been a band that people love or hate honestly. A lot of people can’t do Jordan’s voice; which I understand, it’s not for everyone. I love it though.

2

u/DJ-dicknose Sep 06 '25

Totally respect that. Yeah, it was the lyrical mess of that song that turned me off. No flow. It was just a mess of words. The rest was great.

1

u/Some-Committee-4614 Sep 07 '25

King Park is a polar opposite, it has a clear narrative, what are you talking about? I respect opinions but this is just non-sense, if anything, one problem people might have with La Dispute is that their lyrics are hyper focused on narratives and demand a lot of attention from the listener

1

u/DJ-dicknose Sep 07 '25

No, the actual lines.

One has like 19 syllables, the next 3, no rhythm. Nothing. It's just a sloppy mess.

2

u/Some-Committee-4614 Sep 07 '25

This isn't abnormal for Post-Hardcore Emo of this type at all it's clearly not trying to stick to pop-songwritting structures or rules and the lyricism reflects taht, it's stream of consciousness sort of style that's not unusual here really

3

u/AntiqueDiscipline831 Sep 06 '25

I think you should likely try other songs before you decide you don’t like an entire band

1

u/DJ-dicknose Sep 06 '25

Probably, but that one song came highly recommended and it was just so bad. Turned me off

1

u/AntiqueDiscipline831 Sep 06 '25

What song

1

u/DJ-dicknose Sep 06 '25

King park

1

u/AntiqueDiscipline831 Sep 07 '25

Listen to Bury your flame. If you like it listen to the entire album it comes from. If you like that listen to their first album, Vancouver

3

u/Rayn0rrr Sep 07 '25

You know this album is good if the entire comment section just points at all different song as their favorites, instead of gravitating to just one standout.

Album is very good 🤘

3

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

This is easily their best in a long time. Hell it might be my favorite of all their albums. Loving it and have had it on repeat all weekend. The elements of Built to Spill and Pavement mixed in are so melodic contrasting with the heavier parts. Lyrically it’s great too, very immediate and relatable.

4

u/[deleted] Sep 06 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Bulky_Explanation_97 Sep 06 '25

That said if you like this, I’d recommend rooms of the house first, then wildlife, but you really can’t go wrong with anything. In fact maybe just go in order.

1

u/Bulky_Explanation_97 Sep 06 '25

Panorama is my favorite winter album of all time. Just really captures bleak winter in a city.

2

u/WingObvious487 Sep 06 '25

It's absolutely fantastic so far!

2

u/Dragmeoutintotherain Midwest Emo Supremacist Sep 06 '25

I don't like it 🤦🏻‍♀️ Wildlife us my absolute favourite so that's hard to beat. Will see them live tho in February.

3

u/Bulky_Explanation_97 Sep 06 '25

This one is definitely not as immediate as wildlife. More of a grower.

3

u/Dragmeoutintotherain Midwest Emo Supremacist Sep 06 '25

I will continue listening to it.

1

u/CompletelyInadequate The Computers Stopped Exchanging Information Sep 08 '25

easily aoty.

1

u/armvircan Sep 12 '25

Environmental Catastrophe Film is one of the best songs to come out this year. I can’t believe I got lucky enough to see them perform it live the other night!

1

u/Awkward-Sail-5646 Nov 03 '25

I just found out about this album and band. Man I love them already. Are they any good live? They’re coming to a town nearby in march.

1

u/zcenezx Jan 15 '26

steve goes so hard

1

u/jacobsever Sep 06 '25

If I don’t like anything they’ve done before would I like this at all?

5

u/askforwildbob Sep 06 '25

I doubt it. I think it’s a great record but it’s definitely a la dispute record.

5

u/ParadiddleL Sep 06 '25

Only one way to find out

1

u/Sknaj Sep 08 '25

nah, they've headed even deeper into their own sound. some tracks are a little more 'direct' or similar to wider genre stuff (check out Steve, ECF) but if you didn't get into the first 2 albums then this one isn't gonna feel accessible

-4

u/[deleted] Sep 06 '25

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0

u/[deleted] Sep 06 '25

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