Review Summary: expectations :(
Yeule is like, really good, you know? In lieu of a
classic classic, they have spent the past few years creating three distinctly excellent albums: three albums that are distinct enough to have all been labeled “their best work” by different (groups of) fans, and excellent enough for those fans to understand why others might not agree. I’m a
softscarserer for life, because, well, dreamyfloaty, but I can totally see how one might prefer
Glitch Princess’ existential ambitiousness or the immersive minimalism of
Serotonin II. The downside of this constantly-evolving quality output? Expectations :(
Evangelic Girl is a Gun is the title of the new Yeule album, duh, and it does set itself apart from the pack… by being the artist’s least interesting record. Hold your evangelic guns: it’s not bad by any means, but Yeule has set themself up way too nicely to get away with the brevity of 30 minutes of disappointingly conventional music. In essence, most of this album feels like the more barebones songwriting of
softscars stripped of its hazy filter: sometimes it works, most of the time it’s… fine. When
Evangelic Girl… works, it’s primarily because it offers Yeule an opportunity to stretch their vocals over a more flexible canvas: “Dudu” features a huge chorus and feels like a genuinely exciting next step for the artist as a singer. Similarly, “Saiko” is a productive amalgamation of previous vibes, falling somewhere between
Serotonin’s glitchiness and the gentle shimmers of
softscars, and allows Yeule to glide across the soundscape with a newfound sense of confidence.
When
Evangelic Girl… doesn’t quite work, however, it’s mostly due to forgettable songwriting. Songs like “1967”, “VV” and “The Girl Who Sold Her Face” sound perfectly okay, but I cannot recall a single melody or moment after several listens. In essence, they feel like Yeule on autopilot: passable, yet underwhelming. Closing cut “Skullcrusher” doesn’t do the record any favours either, embodying all of these underwhelming qualities by being two minutes of, uh, not much. Again, it’s entirely listenable, but feels like a cutesy void after the incredible sonic explosion that is “Evangelic Girl is a Gun”. This title track is the one moment where the record truly bursts with the Yeulenergy that is so painfully obviously absent here.
Moreover,
Evangelic Girl… is the first time Yeule doesn’t seem to fully commit at all times. “Tequila Coma” dabbles in some sweet trippy textures, but half-undermines itself with genuinely hideous guitars (and not in a cool way). Elsewhere, “What3vr” feels like it could have been a moody-hazy banger, but just kind of ends before it has a chance to truly get anywhere. Ugh. This is all Yeule’s fault for being a great musician - expectations suck, and this album does not suck. It is disappointing, it is underwhelming, and it features some of the best pop cuts of the year. Yeule’s first hyper-playlistable album, I guess.
