After changing their name from
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. to
JR JR in 2015 with the release of their third album,
JR JR, the Detroit indie electro-pop duo of
Joshua Epstein and
Daniel Zott had more to attend to on the business end of things. They recorded their next set of songs -- a collaborative effort with touring bandmembers called Invocations -- then, following some disputes, left Warner, home of their first three LPs. During the same time span, the 2016 presidential election went down, and personal developments including first-time parenthood and lifestyle adjustments to address mental health took place.
Epstein and
Zott continued to write songs on their own as they shopped labels. They eventually decided to self-release Invocations and the resulting follow-up, Conversations, as a double album, launching their own label, Love Is EZ Records. The 16-track
Invocations/Conversations opens with a combination of electro-bossa and
Steely Dan-esque AM pop on the encouraging "Day In, Day Out." Subsequent tracks continue in kind, delivering thoughtful, uplifting lyrics in matters of everyday life and love on sweet melodies. A frequently employed blend of guitars, glittering electronics, and strings appears on tracks like "Pull You Close," while they slide into slinky soul on "Twice as Hard," and turn to wonky, ebullient pop on "Wild Child." Their harmony-rich, slightly off-balance take on electro-pop continues on the second part, Conversations, with tracks like ("Sometimes I think it would be so nice if I could") "Dumb Myself Down" and the sunny "Young Forever." The affectionate "Fade Out" closes the double set with a downtempo exercise in gratitude. Despite their differences in origins, the two albums share a sleek production style that makes room for plenty of quirky detailing around songwriting influences from '60s, '70s, and '80s pop. Allowing for occasional self-depreciation, it radiates a comforting, upbeat attitude.