Review By: Ally Bates
Rating: 8/10
Exaggerated baroque-pop that’s upbeat and worth listening to. This is the group’s second album but the first that actually presents the group as a group and not the channel through which writer-composer Ellis Ludwig-Leon’s work was presented to the world.
The actual album is filled with a sort of drama that other reviewers might deem too melodramatic but I am rather fond of theatrics and found it really refreshing in a world of dreary, bored-sounding indie pop. Yes, sometimes there are moments where the orchestration feels a bit over-thought, but ultimately it’s really enjoyable with motifs running through the whole album to tie it together as a greater composition.
The vocals are pretty much split 50/50 between Charlene Kaye and Allen Tate alternating songs. They both have really lovely voices with Tate occasionally being very reminiscent of Matt Berninger of The National, and the songs he sings do sound a bit The National-y. My one great issue with the vocals and the album overall is that there really isn’t a duet between them
Overall, I really enjoyed this album, it was quite fun to listen to and I would highly recommend.
FCC: Clean
Fav Tracks: 4, 2, 15
FFO: St. Vincent, The National, Father John Misty