Song Review: “Bad Moons” by American Football

By Shannon Durta

Midwest emo and math rock band American Football released Bad Moons in support of their forthcoming album American Football LP4, out May 1, 2026. The track is long and drony, and comes in at over eight minutes. 

The track’s introduction features a shimmering piano and slow guitar that feels bright and wondrous. The lyrics are sincere and recollect a simpler time around the 50-second mark. “Surprise / I'm just two little boys in a trench coat with plastic knives.” There’s an obvious connotation to growing up and childhood memories. But the idea of reminiscing feels sad. Other lyrics like “I only feel alive at night / during the way I cover my eyes” capture the feeling of being able to chase your dreams at night after work. 

Midway through the track, vocalist Mike Kinsella’s voice nearly breaks as he sings. “I bit my tongue in the dark / I collapsed a lung in the dark / I held my breath in the dark.” It’s emotional and necessary, and the vocals sound desperate and sad as the track crescendos.

Near the five-minute mark, there’s a wall of sound. This sprawling section feels rightfully earned. We hear more drums and shoegaze sounds, including ethereal soundscapes and heavily distorted vocals that slowly fade out and disappear. The guitars blur together. This instrumental break has the same kind of mood and build you’d hear in tracks made popular by bands like Explosions in the Sky.

Around the six-minute mark, the outro is softer but expansive. The drums come in, and there are a few muffled words. The track ends with a soft electric guitar and then slowly fades away.

Bad Moons hopefully means we’ll hear more melodic tracks on the upcoming album. This track begs you to put down your phone and listen to it like it’s intended to be listened to—without distraction.