1.5 out of 5.0 stars1.5
On Sept. 20, Hippo Campus released its fourth studio album. Although the title “Flood” can evoke auditory memories of the band’s past triumphs like singles “Monsoon” or “Bubbles,” the album has neither the emotion of the former nor the ingenuity of the latter. Hippo Campus’ new album does not exhibit the same musical quality that put the band on NPR Music’s favorite new artists list in 2017.

Unlike in past albums, the first couple songs do not start the record off strong. “Prayer Man” has vocals that are more raw than Hippo Campus’ usual style, as lead singer Jack Luppen’s voice overpowers the drums and guitar. By the end, the pull of the guitar melody and catchy motifs in the vocals start to feel more authentic to the band’s style, but just barely.

“Paranoid,” despite its whiny vocals, has a guitar phrase that saves the vocal sections, yet the song is still ruined by assaulting and uninteresting drums. Fortunately, “Fences” is a reprieve from the singer’s moaning and listeners can finally hear him sing. Unfortunately, the verses are repetitive and cliché because, “why’s it always greener on the other side,” will always sound cheesy, no matter how spot-on the message is.

The way Luppen’s voice initially lilts throughout the first verse of “Everything At Once” makes the song sound like an annoying pop ballad, and even though an exciting beat appears partway through, a kick drum and energetic snare are not a powerful enough duo to save the song as a whole. The lyrics do not fit the song’s time signature and the passion is generally absent. Luppen emotionally shouts “Feel everything at once” halfway through the song and suddenly the old Hippo Campus has returned, even if only for a brief moment.

The title track starts to tease some of that emotion that had been lacking in previous tracks. What works best is the interesting combination of drums and synth playing counter to the ethereal melody. It helps that the vocals actually sound like the band’s yearnful singing and not an autotuned Disney star.

“Corduroy,” the sixth track, sounds the way corduroy feels: comforting, warm and nostalgic. The harmonica could have been kitschy, but somehow, it works. It feels homey, and — when contrasted with the perfect guitar melody — gives off an alternative, sad country energy.

“Corduroy” is quintessential Hippo Campus. It makes sadness and heaviness sound interesting and unique: one the band’s many past strengths. That sixth track is an outlier, though, and it is a painful reminder of what the Minnesotan band has been and could be.

Just as the album picks up, it plummets back down. “Slipping Away” and “Brand New” could be mistaken for autotune advertisements.

In a pleasant homage to the old Hippo Campus, the “Tooth Fairy” is a toned-down track reminiscent of 2015’s “The Halocline EPs,” with a beat and synth that complement a catchy, yet still unique melody. The lyrics are fast-paced and introspective, and as a single, this song could deceive listeners into thinking the album would follow in predecessors’ footsteps.

Like “Corduroy,” “Tooth Fairy” is an outlier. “Madman” is nothing special and therefore is not particularly memorable. The piano is catchy and the dynamic and tonal ranges of the band finally come through a little.

Ironically, “Forget It” is slightly more memorable. It could be a decent end to the album if the album ended there. The track starts slow and longing, and the lyrics are much deeper than on other tracks. “I’m useless but I don’t care anymore / Tomorrow won’t be there when you call / Won’t be living at all, do what you want while you got me / Facing fears on an unmade bed.” This shows what Hippo Campus was trying to do with the album: slow down and get serious. That would be great in theory, but not in execution.

The final two songs are OK — but just OK. “Closer” has call-backs to past songs with lyrics like “I’ll calm your troubled waters” (“Flood”) and “Got me out of order, got me going kind of mad” (“Madman”). It has an intense and oscillating synth that makes the end emotionally haunting. In the right mood, it could evoke tears.

“I Got Time” starts upbeat with lively guitar but at its core, the song feels tired. There is nice rhythm guitar and decent features, making it one of the better songs on the album.

The guitar and rhythms are the saviors of this album. The vocals often sound like Disney Channel songs, and while Austin Moon was cool at one age, some more sophistication can be expected of a band like Hippo Campus.

Compared to other bands in the alternative and pop genres, Hippo Campus’ “Flood” is fine. The members sound like they are trying out a new vibe, something mellower, but in the process have lost the range that past albums like “Landmark” achieved by juxtaposing slow piano ballads — “Monsoon” — with high-energy closers — “Buttercup.”

The band set the standard for itself back in 2017 by setting a high bar for musicality and lyricism. It has met that standard ever since, but “Flood” deviates from the band’s usual talent, rewarding loyal fans with a mediocre record.