The album's opener, ‘Latest Frown’, takes the listener through a whirlwind of ecstatic guitars and rhythmic drum patterns, perfect to set the tone for this energy-filled album. At just over the minute mark, the track wastes no time in getting your head banging, even squeezing in a well-timed and very succinct guitar solo. But it is frontman Dan Hacker's gritty vocal style that really elevates the track and brings an edge to the otherwise cheerful opener. Second track ‘Tenner’ opens with an isolated guitar riff, giving a brief moment to breathe before racing into a flurry of noise. The riff repeats consistently throughout the first half of the song, with the bass adding a deeper dimension against the harsher-sounding drums, but this motif switches abruptly to a lighter, major melody. This switch changes the song from a grungier, garage-rock sound to a brighter indie-rock festival vibe, a mixture of genres that feels consistent with the album as a whole. Like the previous song, ‘Tenner’ features a perfectly placed guitar solo, reminiscent of The Kinks' iconic ‘You Really Got Me’ and ‘All Day and All of the Night’, which similarly start their solos with a screeching guitar slide.
The first single from the album, ‘Pipe Dream’, is a beautiful track that uses simple lyrics to create a poignant atmosphere. Love and subsequently one falling out of it through more mundane and everyday language like “tell me, was he your cup of tea”, creates a sense of relativity and nostalgia, something only exacerbated by the twinkly riffs throughout the track. Lines like “So I'd wake up/put on some makeup” keep the everyday atmosphere while telling a story, especially as “wakeup” and “makeup” are punctuated by the guitar and drums (perhaps a nod to ‘Chop Suey!’, System of a Down), which helps build the tension inevitably released in the chorus. Unlike other songs in the album, which maintain the brilliant growl almost entirely, “Pipe Dream” takes the vocal choice to “talksing” in a way that felt very Jarvis Cocker, something which gave a distinct sense of reality and makes the emotions felt by his growling voice in the chorus that much more raw.
‘Lacking depth and realism’ has some intense and impressively quick drums, which brings with it a darker sound to this track. There is a cluster of chaotic sound before a sudden stop to sing each line, and this stopping and starting in the song gives it. The drumming from Rowson is incredible within their technical skills and speed, but also in giving the song a rhythm unique in comparison to the rest of the album. The lyrics also felt deeply personal and thought-provoking in an age of social media: "I wanna see the person you used to be / not the person who just wants to be everyone she sees”.
‘Lay me down’ utilities slower, echoing guitars to create a moody atmosphere, with the repeated lyric “lay me down” full of a Josh Homme-esque swagger but the lyrics are much more melancholy saying “I wanna die at 25, I wanna see the other side” This lyrical style is reflective of difficult topics but represents them in a frighteningly explicit way. ‘Yesterday’ takes the album on an even calmer calmer and quieter turn, starting with only guitar and vocal, initially feels like the ‘Riot Van’ (Arctic Monkeys) of the album, through its very minimal approach but takes a more aggressive turn later in the the track bringing back the drums in full force and fluctuates between heavy guitar chords and lighter riffs.
The next three songs, ‘Paper Aeroplanes’, ‘I Don’t Wanna Know’, and ‘Tell Her’ are a trio of sunnier tracks that would fit perfectly being performed on a festival stage. A mixture of dreamy guitars, danceable drum beats, and calmer moments to stand and absorb the sound. These tracks help to create a larger narrative structure in the album and give lighter moments amongst the darker garage rock sound.
‘Wouldn’t Let You Realise’ utilises layering the main melody through multiple guitar lines and bass to create a brilliant earworm, followed by a brief bass solo intermission. The track then transforms into a rip-roaring array of layered guitars, bringing back the ferocity from the album's openers. The final track, ‘Lost and Found’, again plays on the nostalgic sound but combines it with eerie chord progression in the chorus that creates a bittersweet, tense emotion that can be felt long after the album is finished.
Isabel McDermott
Image: Abi Turner
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