ALBUM REVIEW: Get Better – Storm Orchestra
STORM ORCHESTRA are making 2025 their year. After the release of their 2020 self-titled EP and 2023’s What A Time To Be Alive, the trio had their breakthrough in 2024 after spending a few years playing in the underground Parisian clubs. Their single Drummer was a smash hit, and catapulted vocalist and guitarist Maxime Goudard, bassist Adrien Richard, and drummer Loïc Fouquet into the spotlight, and they have been selling out clubs in their home country of France, whilst also making themselves known on festival circuits. With their new album, Get Better, the band look set to make sure they’re continuing their world domination.
Bright Soul opens the album up with synth-rock that blends well with the vocals. Its mid-paced verses coupled with upbeat choruses make it a strong opener initially. Unfortunately, the instrumental solo towards the end dilutes the impact of the final chorus and the two blend together. Thankfully, Drummer picks things back up. The song was the band’s breakout hit for a good reason, with a chorus that’ll stick in your head for days.
Whilst the album sits comfortably in the ait rock space, STORM ORCHESTRA do try to turn things on their head. For example, Superplayer leans heavily into synths, whereas Cut Loose, Somehow is a fast-paced rock song. Although these shifts might seem like a headache to listen to, they are all utilised very well because the songs make their impact without affecting the pacing of the album.
Even when the album has a slower song, it’s a welcome break between the upbeat songs. During the latter half of the album, the songs do follow a slight pattern by having a slower start before transforming into a fast-paced song. However, this is stopped before it gets tiresome. This Game starts off fast before the mid-tempo verses kick in. The trio kick up the tempo with Get Back In Time, a grunge-rock song, whereas Our Victory is another alt-rock song that is slightly formulaic and overshadowed by the closing song.
Trash The Room is an interesting song because it is the shortest song on the album, at only one minute and nineteen seconds long. It’s a fast-paced song that sees the band delve into the hardcore genre. It’s the heaviest song on the album that is a fun way to cap off the album, consisting of the chant, “Thrash, trash, trash the room“, and it fits right in with the rest of the album because it subverts expectations.
Overall, Get Better by STORM ORCHESTRA is a very good album. It’s energetic, keeps things fresh by changing things up, and it works as a whole. Although it sometimes has some issues with the production, which causes some songs to sound muddled or the instruments to overwhelm the vocals, these are relatively minor issues. The band sound like they’re having the time of their life. Musically, the album changes things up to keep things fresh and it also hints at what the band could potentially do in the future. If the song Drummer was their hit song, then Get Better is the album that could catapult them to the next level.
Rating: 7/10
Get Better is out now via Mascot Records.
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