Future Lovers has me overwhelmingly excited to start going to shows again soon. The Beaches sound great on record, but listening to this EP gives me the undeniable impression that they are a stellar live band. With explosive riffs and undeniably catchy melody-writing the band is a must-have for any summer shindig.
The projects kicks off with the distorted guitar intro, punchy bass line and shimmering synths of “Blow Up.” It is slick and powerful and wisely sets the tone for the hook compositional masterclass that is to come. Next “Let’s Go” and “Bad Behaviour” take Future Lovers to the more pop-punk corners of the band’s sound. The group seems at their best when they’re playing quickly and passionately. This works for the majority of the album which contains what the young, hip folks are calling “bangers” and “bops.”
The only place where the musical direction seems to fall flat is on the emotional, understated closer “You Don’t Owe Me Anything.” While the delivery is compelling enough and the lyrics seem heartfelt, the song itself takes itself a little too seriously and leans heavily into its own melodrama. I can see the intention of the band in contrasting the fun party atmosphere of “Slow Mo” with the sometimes regretful morning after, but in reality it doesn’t quite land as a jarringly emotional beat. I admire the stripped down instrumentation and arrangement, I think my issue here lies more with the overproduced conclusion to an otherwise grounded and hyper-melodic EP.
Overall, I do highly recommend this album. It captures a full range of emotional nuance within the young, 20-something-year-old experience and knows when to let loose and have a good time. Whether you’re out on the town when the world opens up again or dancing in the living room in your pyjamas, I think there’ll be something for you to enjoy here.
Favourite Tracks:
“Let’s Go” sounds Hole-adjacent for its verses. Lead singer Jordan Miller captures the same take-no-prisoners attitude as Courtney Love while leaning into the punkier side of the band’s sound. Then the chorus kicks in and we are treated to backing vocal “oohs” that WILL 100% be stuck in your head for the foreseeable future. The guitar that punctuates the verses throughout is tasteful, but harsh and aggressive enough to make this one of my favourite pop punk tracks of the year. It’s also got a fantastic line in the second verse rhyming “put their hands up” with a namecheck of the classic Toronto bar “Bovine Sex Club.” That there is just good songwriting.
If you’re looking for a glowing example of the potency and strength of a nice crunchy guitar tone, look no further than “Bad Behaviour.” It’s driving and propulsive and everything in the song is a new hook. No lulls, no slowing down, just some classic rock and roll.
“Slow Mo” works some old-school new wave (contradictory, I know) elements into the mix. The dance-y drums and the interlocking synth, guitar and bass lines all make for a fun, bouncy and festival-ready tune. The energy is contagious. Simple, but effective.
Rating: 7.5/10
Genre: Dance rock, punk
Length: 15:20
Listen to this if you like: The Beths, Hole, The Dandy Warhols
Cheers, Jimmy