Nightly Strikes a Home run
by sasha basant
Just 10 months after “The Void,” Nightly is back in the game with their fifth album Baseball in America. Nightly’s past four albums have consistently sounded like a movie soundtrack, and this one is no exception. Across eight tracks, the movie takes place under humid summer skies, with fireflies lighting up the night and the promise of a honeyed summer romance that feels too good to let slip away. Baseball in America feels like a summer you already know you're going to miss before it's even over.
The King of Broadway makes perfect sense to ease us into the album, immediately transporting us to the very beginning of a movie where the title rolls in across the screen. We follow someone chasing a dream, just scraping by while those around him think he's lost it. But no matter how far away those dreams feel, he refused to let go, insisting, “Cause baby dreams don't die.” The chorus takes us into the dream he's chasing, the moment where the lights finally go up on Broadway. The song captures that feeling that anything could happen, that first morning of summer break and knowing the whole season is ahead of you.
Given to us right before the Fourth of July, track two,AMERICAN BABY, the most Americana song on the album. Nightly paints a picture of fireworks, backseat make outs, baseball games, and late summer nights, filled with the kind of nostalgia that feels like something straight out of a coming of age film – the perfect three month romance. Coming directly after The King of Broadway, it takes that American summer dream and puts us directly inside of it. AMERICAN BABY takes a slightly different approach than some of Nightly’s older work while still feeling notably brighter. The track feels incredibly breathable, with a laid back production that makes it the perfect soundtrack for sunset drives.
The first taste of this album Nightly shared was blue jeans, released in May. The dream continues on with a sound Nightly fans will likely find familiar. There's something about this one that feels reminiscent of wear your heart out, echoing the dreamy atmosphere of their 2023 album. This track blends dream synth-pop with youthful romance, capturing the feeling of being so wrapped in a moment with someone that you wish you could make it last forever. There's a relatable simplicity to the lyrics making it easy to connect with. Blue jeans is a snapshot of those fleeting nights you wish could stretch on just a little longer.
The fourth song on the album, bar closing song, really captures that Bruce Springsteen influence running throughout the record. Still upbeat, the track brings listeners to the part of the movie where time is suddenly sped up and the camera follows a guy trying to make his move on the girl, as the night seems determined to keep the two of them apart. Its ‘80s inspired production gives the track an underlying sense of urgency. As the night starts to die down, the bar's closing time becomes more than just the end of a good night; it becomes a deadline. After spending the first few tracks caught up in the excitement bar closing song is where we face the reality that these moments cannot last forever.
The Seventh-inning stretch is greyhound station, track five encapsulates homesickness while brushing against an almost country-inspired sound. This song features some of the most interesting sonics, shying away from their usual synth heavy instrumentation, it introduces a subtle twang that we haven't heard before from Nightly. We step into the world of an artist, constantly on the road, missing big events of loved ones, and homesick as ever. “I've been to Tokyo been to Vegas…..But nothing hits quite like when they're playing, The way they play.” No matter how far they travel or how many places they experience, nothing quite compares to the familiarity of home.
The sixth song off the album, ballerina, takes us through the rush of falling back into a familiar feeling, wrapped in an indie arrangement carried by a driving rhythm that mirrors the emotion of the lyrics. Nightly sprinkles a sense of spontaneity throughout the track, from the Friday night dancing to the glowing of the car radio and the feeling of the room spinning. Buried beneath all that energy is the pull of familiarity, and the same old magic resurfacing. Nightly makes that familiar feeling fresh again, giving an infectious energy that's bright, restless, and full of momentum.
Track 7, RODEO QUEEN, brings us Nightly's home turf, stepping into Nashville through a song steeped in western imagery and the lingering question of a relationship left unfinished. Nightly uses the rodeo queen as metaphor for uncertainty with this track, wondering if given the chance to take that relationship for another ride, would they? There's a curiosity of wondering if the other person finds themselves looking back too. The repetition in the chorus leaves the question hanging, reflecting the way these thoughts can replay long after the relationship has come to an end.
Angel in the outfield serves as the walk-off, giving listeners a sultry, cinematic ending as the credits start to roll. As apparent as its name, the track calls back to the album's central theme, unfolding like a charming love letter. Falling after Rodeo Queen, could this be the confession? The track feels like the words left on Nightly’s tongue, after an album filled with longing, questioning, and reflection on memories. Nightly finally says what they’ve been trying to say all along. There's vulnerability here, but also something open and honest, this track is more direct than the earlier songs on the album. If it wasn't clear before that baseball is the heart of baseball in america, the album's closing track makes it impossible to miss. The pacing feels more subtle giving the track the feeling of a natural final scene. As the credits role were left with the final words spoken but wondering what comes next
Baseball in america is a montage of late nights, fleeting romance and the feelings we aren't quite ready to leave behind. Nightly takes familiar feelings of nostalgia and longing and gives them a world of their own, using baseball, the American dream and a dreamy indie pop production to tie everything together. With this fifth album, Nightly has created something that feels lived in, like a collection of moments you can't help but replay.
