ALBUM REVIEW: Look Alive! – Early Eyes
“We took all of that anxiety and angry energy and put it into making a really fucked up album,” explains EARLY EYES bandleader Jake Berglove of the sentiment behind their new album, Look Alive!. His bandmate, guitarist Joe Villano agrees: “The album was not just an expression of all of our frustrations, but also an escape from it.” The band signed to Epitaph Records in January 2020. They put out their first single that March, just as the pandemic came crashing down and everything ground to a halt. Look Alive! is a direct response to the events that followed.
Big Sigh kicks off the album with a skittering synth beat that is reminiscent of the 80s. The synths are the main instrument used, although the drums come in from the second chorus onwards. This is an experimental approach to alternative music, but it suits EARLY EYES well. This is mainly down to producers Caleb Hinz and Jake Luppen who make the experimental sound normal. It is a unique start to the record, one which shows that EARLY EYES aren’t here to play by the rules.
Chemicals introduces more instruments, with trumpets, guitars and drums further building upon the synth-infused sound they established in the first song. This not only creates a unique sound, but also shows that EARLY EYES are experts at mixing things up. In fact, on first listen, Chemicals is reminiscent of English indie-rock band BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB, however, on repeated listens, the song creates its own life.
Paresthesia returns to the synth-pop that Big Sigh created, but instead of rehashing that song, EARLY EYES build upon it, including with a guitar solo in the middle. Revel Berry expands upon this further still to include gang vocals which lean into post-hardcore territory. You’d expect all these sounds to be messy, especially as they continue to increase the pacing. However, thanks to the amazing production, the album flows naturally. This creates a cohesive record that proves that EARLY EYES have the skill to adapt.
Catch You slows things down a little. It is another synth-led song, however, it also has an acoustic guitar and a drum thrown in. As the almost halfway point in the album, it makes sense to slow things down. Despite the slow pacing of the song, this does not affect the overall album’s pacing. On the other hand, Rocket brings the pacing back up. It is an upbeat, summery song that is perfect for dancing along to. It is also the band’s most poppy tune, and wouldn’t sound out of place on the Top 40. However, it is all the better for it.
Halloween 18 continues the pop sound, whereas Dying Plant leans more on the pop-rock side of things. Somewhere Overgrown is a jazz-infused song, with a large focus on trumpets, while the last two songs, Marathon and Trust Fall, are like chalk and cheese. Marathon is an upbeat song, whereas Trust Fall is slow, gradually building up to a big crescendo. These final five songs summarise the sound of the album overall.
In conclusion, Look Alive! is an outstanding effort by EARLY EYES. Expertly crafted, especially on the production side of things, the album’s pacing is cohesive throughout. The experimental nature of the songs is given room to breathe, and no two songs sound the same. EARLY EYES are not here to play; they are an exciting band, and they are here to grab your attention and make you listen.
Rating: 8/10
Look Alive! is out now via Epitaph Records.
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