Iron + Instinct: Post Animal Live and Reborn
Side B
Years apart. One album. Infinite chemistry. Post Animal’s homecoming era is more than a reunion—it’s a rebirth.
Written by: Lauren Silvester
photo by cj harvey
From cramped Chicago basements to sprawling festival stages, Post Animal has had a whirlwind few years. A new album is on the way, opening for Djo (former member Joe Keery's solo project) on his Back On You world tour, and with half the band joining him onstage in his supporting band– this year marks their biggest yet. Marking not just a professional evolution, but a deeper narrative, completing a circle that began in Chicago.
Not an end, but back to the beginning.
From the moment they dropped their first official LP – When I Think of You in a Castle – Post Animal started getting the chance to do things that would take them into the next steps of their career. They have played at some great festivals like Desert Daze and even played at the hometown festival – Lollapalooza, multiple times.
They have toured across the US and Europe with other indie artists like – Ron Gallo, Twin Peaks, Temples and more. They took every opportunity that they could to showcase what they can do and make sure that people knew who they were. From what I’ve seen online, their live shows create a magnetic ambiance. Pulling you in with the energy. Getting lost in the guitars. The drums. The bass. The keyboard. All of it. It's meant to be absorbed right in front of you.
They released the LP Forward Motion Godyssey in 2020. It was an album that stayed true and remained anchored to the sound that shaped them, adding more great songs to their ever-evolving and expanding catalogue.
Special mentions go to: Post Animal – a head-banger song that goes off from start to finish. The heavy guitar, cymbal shattering drums and groovy bass blend together in their signature sound, but elevated.
Safe or Not – this one feels like the internal monologue of someone standing at the edge, barely holding it together. The backing track is somewhat upbeat which is in contrast to the actual lyrics which adds another layer to it.
Then How Do You Feel – this one hits hard, to me it’s about a relationship that’s slowly slipping away. Where you thought they were the one, but you start to realize they don’t feel the same anymore. You can sense them pulling back, and all you want is clarity. Just an answer. Stay or go. Anything but this emotional limbo. Ouch.
If I were to recommend anything to a Post Animal novice, it would be the Levitation Sessions they filmed live in Sleeping Village in 2021. It’s an hour long video that truly captures the essence of what these guys bring to the table. They had originally meant to be on the Forward Motion Godyssey tour, but it was cut short due to COVID.
Still wanting the chance to play the new music, they collaborated with Levitation to make something for the people who missed out on tour while also giving them the chance to play their new songs live. Personally, I would’ve killed to have been present for the filming of this, just to light one up and watch the magic happen, because they created a space that feels like you’re stepping into a different dimension. To experience that live— boy it would’ve been a trip I tell you.
Wanting to balance it all out, they chose a perfectly curated mixture of new and old of their music. The classics like—Dirtpicker, Goggles (this is the song I want to experience in person the MOST), Gelatin Mode and Ralphie. But also included their newer ones like—Post Animal, Your Life Away, Safe or Not and Caving In. Which, for the record, this song feels like the perfect song to soundtrack your life while you’re on the bus and it’s raining. It’s looping guitar and moody atmosphere create the perfect moment. Their Levitation Sessions set are all songs that demonstrate what they are fully capable of doing together as a band.
By the end of 2024, Post Animal started hinting that new music was on the horizon for 2025. With that, came the tease announcement: Joe was coming back for the new album. All six of them, reunited. Back in the studio, back on stage, doing what they do best. Making absolute magic.
In January, things really kicked into gear when they were announced to support Djo on his Back On You world tour. Additionally, two band members– Javi and Wes– joined Joe’s live band as well, showing just how close and collaborative they’ve remained over the years.
On April 17th they released their new single Last Goodbye. And fuck, did it deliver. If this track is just a taste of what’s to come then it already speaks volumes. It’s filled with everything that makes Post Animal who they are: layered, textured, emotionally charged, and sonically sharp. You can feel the growth and not just in their sound, but in who they are as a band. A regeneration, years in the making.
Post Animal has never been a band that chases trends. They’ve built their sound from the ground up, layering grit, groove, and soul in a harmonious balance.
From DIY basement gigs to world tours and everything in between, they’ve proven that evolution doesn’t mean losing your roots. With Iron on the horizon and the original lineup back in full force, it feels like a new chapter, but also a homecoming of sorts. A full-circle moment that honors where they started, how far they’ve come, and where they’re headed next.
Whatever this new era brings, one thing’s certain: Post Animal isn’t just here. They’ve been here and they’re about to blow the fucking roof off. I cannot wait for the Iron album to drop on July 25th and I have a feeling it’s going to be one of my favorite albums of the year.
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