Few bands remain as synonymous with their biggest hit as Semisonic, whose 1998 smash hit Closing Time has become the band’s legacy, the kind of signature track that has far outlasted the group itself. More than that, Closing Time has passed into wider popular culture, appearing in a wide variety of films and TV shows, and will probably remain on karaoke playlists for centuries to come. It’s not ridiculous to speculate that more people know that song than know who wrote it.

The indie-pop trio, comprised of Dan Wilson (vocals and guitars), John Munson (bass), and Jacob Slichter (drums), parted company just a few years after Closing Time was released, in part because Wilson needed to take care of his daughter, who was premature and had special needs. Wilson kept writing though, and over the years since Semisonic folded, he has written or co-written tracks for the likes of Taylor Swift, Adele, and Liam Gallagher, proving that the hits were still in there.

Now Wilson, Munson and Slichter have reunited for the first Semisonic release in almost two decades: a five-track EP recorded in L.A. that kicks off with title track and lead single You’re Not Alone, a rousing rocky affair built around a playful riff and some cheery lyrics (“Everybody knows that the world is wrong / The only thing to do is write a song / That’s one way to take the wrong and make it all right”).

All It Would Take slows things down with its gentle piano melodies and introspective lyrics, while Basement Tapes is a road trip song with a big chorus. Don’t Make Up Your Mind combines some driving drums, addictive riffs and the best of Wilson’s vocals for the EP’s standout track, before closing track Lightning comes closest to the Closing Time blueprint, building from a gentle intro to a thumping chorus and back again.

There’s nothing here that will unseat Closing Time as the quintessential Semisonic track, but I suspect that was never the goal. Instead this is a joyful collection of melodic songs from a band whose feelgood creations we’ve missed a great deal while they’ve been away.

Watch the official video for You’re Not Alone here.

You’re Not Alone tracklist:

1. You’re Not Alone

2. All It Would Take

3. Basement Tapes

4. Don’t Make Up Your Mind

5. Lightning

Author: Joe Sharratt

Joe Sharratt is a writer and journalist based in the UK covering music, literature, sport, and travel.