ALBUM REVIEW: Still Love – Teenage Wrist
Marshall Gallagher and Anthony Salazar – the brains behind TEENAGE WRIST – have been innovating since 2014. But on their third album Still Love, the band step out of their comfort zone and into uncharted territory. Whilst still sticking with the guitar-driven sound that they are known for, they are also redefining it. This is their first album that they have produced entirely themselves. It started out at a writer’s retreat at Joshua Tree National Park, and then evolved into a record of self-discovery. The result is 12 songs that cover the joy and passion that music can bring.
From the opening notes of Sunshine, Still Love explodes with energy. The duo make fantastic producers; everything sounds clear and neither the instruments nor the vocals overpower each other. There are elements of 90s Brit-pop throughout the opening song that make it perfect for the summer months. The guitars remain a highlight throughout the album as a whole; whether it is a grim and hardened riff on a track like Dark Sky or Digital Self, or a lighter touch such as on Wax Poetic, they drive the album along whilst the rest of the instruments help them form a well-oiled machine.
Older fans will definitely notice a difference in TEENAGE WRIST on Still Love though; the heavier stuff has been relaxed a little bit, whereas the softer moments are slightly more mellow. Take Diorama, for example, which is a gentle acoustic song which also has moments of electronic synths that create an eerie sound.
The pacing of the album is fantastic. All the songs move at an even pace, and the runtimes are kept to sensible three-to-five-minute chunks. It is clear that this album is a passion project for the band as the attention to detail is stunning. Cold Case continues the slow-pace of Diorama, and turns it into a grungy number. It is another highlight of the album as Gallagher unleashes some fantastic and heart-wrenching screams in the closing few minutes, and the way it grows from a slow-paced song to a heavier one without breaking a sweat is truly impressive.
This heaviness carries over naturally into Cigarette Two-Step. It would be easy for this song to have gone for being some kind of ‘Part Two’ to Cold Case, but instead it subverts expectations and expands upon the song by including some heavier instruments and a groovy guitar riff during the bridge. This exemplifies the care and dedication that TEENAGE WRIST have put into their music.
Ultimately, Still Love is a fantastic album that subverts expectations. It is the result of Gallagher and Salazar‘s passion for music and their fantastic production skills. Each song builds upon the other, whilst also bringing something new to the table, and the band try new things that work really well thanks to the mixing. TEENAGE WRIST sound confident and clearer than ever, and this album has a worthy place amongst the rest of their discography and should be perfect for new and old fans alike.
Rating: 9/10
Still Love is set for release on August 4th via Epitaph Records.
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