Review Summary: A pleasant little foray into the atmospheric side of indie-pop.
Every so often, a band that challenges my perception of what mainstream indie music is comes along. I’ll be honest: nowadays, it feels like the vast majority of these hip indie-pop outfits are identical. They all hit similar checklists: echoed/overproduced vocals, “twinkly” guitars, and vague cliché-rooted lyrics that often end up meaning nothing. I’m not totally dismissing the direction that these bands have been trending towards, but as with anything that is widely pursued by a multitude of artists, it tends to wear thin all too soon after making that initial splash in its respective scene. With their debut
A Bloom Beyond, Terribly Yours takes a
wearing thin sound and makes it feel fresh again.
Sometimes all an album needs is a spark that differentiates it from the thousands of other similar pieces out there.
A Bloom Beyond’s gift is its atmospheric quality; there’s nary a moment that doesn’t feel like a melodic venture into space, or a dark, echoing plunge into the ocean. With flawlessly executed vocals and a host of unforgettable hooks, it’s a wet dream for anyone looking to enjoy the perks of a carefree listen yet retain the satisfaction that there is still some artistic integrity and experimentation going on. Just look at how opener ‘Answered Prayers’ combines an array of bubbly electronic effects with the record’s catchiest chorus, or the way that ‘Barbara’ swells with an underlying sense of pride and optimism. If you can imagine what Foster The People would sound like if they possessed The Shins’ sense of musical curiosity, you’d have something very similar to
A Bloom Beyond.
Terribly Yours’ opening act is not going to redefine indie-pop, but it certainly doesn’t do it any disservice. Amidst its dreamy progression and at times abstract direction, there will be moments that blur together – that’s almost unavoidable. However,
A Bloom Beyond for the most part keeps listeners on their toes, be it with a subtle change in guitar rhythm or a bold synth line. Terribly Yours’ debut album is one that doesn’t stray very far from the proven formula, but it doesn’t need to because it knows the best ways to put that formula to use. The resulting
A Bloom Beyond makes for one of the more laid back, totally accessible indie-pop records you’ll hear this year – and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
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