Review Summary: Blanket lives up to their name with True Blue
Blanket’s fourth album may be closer to an EP at a half-hour long, but it is a firm commitment to the group’s shoegaze sound. The alt-metal crunch of their past efforts is largely phased out here, leading to an effect-lathered guitar tone that dips more readily into softer meandering while still managing to sound pretty heavy. The drums also lend themselves well to some climactic cascading beats while the vocals occupy the distant echo typical of the genre. If something like 2021’s Modern Escapism was somewhere between Deftones and mid-era Katatonia, then the similarities to My Bloody Valentine and Ride here are more straight to the original source.
This admittedly makes for a somewhat vanilla listening experience, but competent writing and breezy pacing keep things pleasant. The bulk of the album is pretty upbeat as “Levitate” builds on a quiet breath with light yet driving surges that are reiterated on tracks like “Bind” and “Wallflower.” “Hole In My Head” may be the most notable standout, bursting in off the swelling noise on the prelude “The Swallows Reflecting In The Water” with battering drums that thankfully don’t feel at odds with the fluctuating guitar haze or dreamy vocals, and i can also dig the slow subdued detour offered by “Leaning On You.”
It’s a little funny to note how Blanket lives up to their name with True Blue. There’s admittedly bits of fluff even when you factor in the increasingly reduced overall runtime, but its lightweight demeanor carries enough atmosphere and even the heaviest sequences have a certain sense of comfort. There are definitely better groups in the modern shoegaze movement, but True Blue is an enjoyable enough sampler to let wash over you.
