Whether it is being the frontman of Steel Train or a member of the immensely popular band, fun., it seems that Jack Antonoff  has made a name for himself in the pop scene. Following the success of fun.’s sophomore album, Some Nights, Antonoff has written for various names in pop such as Tegan and Sara, and most recently, with his new project, Bleachers, Antonoff has drifted from the typical sound of fun. and moved on towards a very 80’s-inspired vibe to it, even when he was born in the middle of the decade. There seems to be quite of bit of compassion hiding behind the synthesizer and upbeat rhythms on Strange Desire. The buoyant sound on this album is brought with catchy guitar riffs, energetic synthesizer melodies, and moody vocals.

Even if he doesn’t have the vocal chops of Nate Ruess of fun., there is still something to Antonoff’s voice that draws listeners in. However, he seems to change his tone and even the depth of his voice throughout Strange Desire, which gives off a feeling that the album has multiple lead vocalists even though it is just Antonoff. Even with these abrupt changes in his voice, Antonoff still shows that he is a respectable frontman. Also, the one-off collaborations with seemingly random musicians on this album, like Yoko Ono, seems to collide with the other songs on this album.

Strange Desire is filled with synth-heavy melodies, reminiscent of bands such as the Buggles. With the lighthearted tracks throughout such as “I Wanna Get Better,” there seems to be much darker themes to them, dealing with loss, and the coping that comes after. There are many elements of 80’s pop throughout this record and could fit well into the soundtrack of a coming-of-age movie, with its jangly guitar riffs and upbeat rhythms and synthesizers.

This album will capture the hearts of anyone who is nostalgic for anything John Hughes and draw in a younger audience at the same time. With cheerful melodies, Antonoff seems to pass off his innermost troubles as something that is light and happy and does so in a catchy way.