Pie Lombardi has been a bit of a sonic chameleon – from his folk projects to 80s-tinged alternative singles or his more pop-punk and indie work with Silver & Gold. I’m not really sure quite what to call his latest EP, but the man himself calls it “sensitive frat boy alt-pop” and that seems sufficient. Needless to say, this latest project is definitely a sonic departure in many ways, and the result rests somewhere between the lethargy of bedroom dream pop and the sass of touring festival headliners. Production here, especially vocal processing, is essential to the the raw-and-raucous feeling of these tracks.

“Wet Hot American Bummer” kicks things off, and it’s easy to see why it was the lead single. It’s a high-energy song with a powerful chorus, and its ruminations on growing up definitely will resonate with all of the 90s kids. Summer, it turns it out, isn’t as magical anymore – and trying to recreate the same sense of freedom typically involves personal or financial risk. The song’s video, while nothing too complicated, sees Pie with his feet in a child’s pool in (presumably) his backyard having a couple cold ones. It’s a unique visual way to capture the tension between the joys of youth and the mundanity of adulthood.

“Live, Laugh, Internalize” (working title: “Princess Lasagna Baby”, RIP) isn’t quite as energetic, but there’s something nostalgic about the guitar lines and programmed percussion. There are even some gang vocals in the mix that make it feel like a party anthem. There’s also some unique wordplay in the chorus that’s as subtle as it is clever, and the use of vocal effects keeps this relatively short track feeling full and dynamic.

There’s an instrumental interlude, appropriately titled “Interlude”, in the middle that builds into “29, Flirty, and Thriving” which seems odd for an already-short EP. While it does bridge the gap between confidence and humility, it’s not particularly long and it could have perhaps worked by being combined with the following song.

Rounding the end of the album, “29, Flirty, and Thriving” is yet another title that embraces Pie Lombardi’s gift of irony. “I don’t play this guitar much no more,” he laments, ruminating on burnout and disappointment. The musical bed here is arpeggiated, folky guitar. But things build as he comments on trustfund kids “walking their expensive dogs” and refusing to accept responsibility for his problems. The end sees electric guitar and programmed drums kick in for full effect – before fading out for a vocal-only close.

“Bonus Life” is fairly similar to the title track in its more standard indie rock approach, and it actual reminds me quite a bit of Futures-era Jimmy Eat World for some reason. This arrangement actually works quite nicely for the collection, seeing the two halves of the EP mirror each other. And while “Bonus Life” doesn’t have a huge ending, it’s still vibrant throughout and is definitely a staple track of the EP. A lot of beautiful imagery (like “measuring time by the headlights”) evokes memories of traveling through the night. It’s a song that wrestles with the difficulty of not knowing. The fundamental question is: If we only realize the if we’re right or wrong when we die, how can we live appropriately.

In some ways, this in an awkward collection of songs – not necessarily negatively but conceptually. It’s a reflection on losing passion, on feeling the tension of youth fading away, on questioning if things will ever be the way they used to. Pie employs a mix spacey bedroom vocals with dynamic guitars for a result that feels pastiche, like a sonic stamp collection of sorts – some with their modern minimalist logos; others are sepia-stained and tearing apart. There’s a rawness here that’s still very evident even under professional production – gang vocals, simple guitar parts, blatantly-programmed drums that do nothing to feel organic. These things aren’t hidden or thrown away, just like the pain and loss of life isn’t excused by its “higher production” moments. While this isn’t overtly a sad EP, combine these underlying sentiments with the EP’s title and there’s definitely some stuff to wrestle with. The title track and “Bonus Life” stand out as my own favorites, though there’s certainly something to like on each track here. If you too happen to be having a bummer summer, this might be your disillusionment soundtrack.

Wet Hot American Bummer releases 6/23.

Check out Pie Lombardi on Instagram.