ALBUM REVIEW: Never Better – Weatherstate

WEATHERSTATE’s signature band of grunge-infused pessimism strikes again on sophomore release Never Better. Rough vocals and charging drumbeats serve as a satisfying dose of 90s punk nostalgia; frazzled basslines immediately feel familiar, pulling you headfirst into the flow of drowsy cynicism.

The undeniable charm of WEATHERSTATE lies in that fuzzy sheen of cynicism. Opening track Low sets the tone – pondering “how did you get so low?” before flowing into Hangar’s giddy wall of fuzzy instrumentals, offset by dark lyrical ideas of “[drinking] the hope away” and “holding a fork inside a socket”. The mighty Here In My Hell is equally as infectious in its hellish lyricisms; the track captures a glorious sense of negativity, its irresistible drumbeat charging you through the “rotting decline” of society with a pinch of salt.

Never Better manages to keep its head afloat, however; there is an undercurrent of blissful, undeterred acceptance of this glass-half-empty existence. Normality soars, with its weightless calls of “Normality! never got the best of me” – the anthemic cries of the chorus feel almost akin to the grandeur of HOLDING ABSENCE’s Gravity in tone. Drown also captures this anthemic feel, with its LOWER THAN ATLANTIS-esque playful instrumentals accompanying proclamations of “I’ve never felt so down!”.

The band’s overall feel, melding gritty introspection with grungey instrumentals, is of course incredibly reminiscent of NIRVANA – an aspect that is nodded to on Panic Attack, opening with a lingering call of “nevermind…”. From the rough, laid-back vocals to the strong basslines, WEATHERSTATE twist the grunge influence and give it a refreshing new lease on life. Tracks feel cohesively brooding, yet there is still a vigour to them, a poignant spark.

Perhaps the most charming track of the lot is penultimate banger Never Getting Better – cruising into life with a twinkling of xylophone notes, this is a track that truly drags grunge into the modern era. It feels like the pinnacle of the album, hinting at just how effectively WEATHERSTATE’s cynical-optimism can be captured when pushed. It would have been a perfect album closer, gorgeously encapsulating exactly what WEATHERSTATE are all about. It screams apprehension, yet light instrumentals and soaring vocals absolutely sparkle with charm; “Things they don’t get better in time!”, but inevitably “that’s alright”. You can’t help but long to be in the crowd, screaming along – “give yourself another try!”.

‘Born A Cynic‘, always a cynic – but WEATHERSTATE deliver hopelessness with absolute class. While certain tracks definitely pack a greater punch, there’s no denying that this album is a solid push forward for the band – they’ve Never (Been) Better.

Rating: 7/10

Never Better is out now via Rude Records.

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