With the release of their second album, Every Open Eye, it is evident that Chvrches’ career is only just beginning. The Scottish trio quickly rose to success following the release of their debut album, Bones Of What You Believe, hurling them out of obscurity and into headlining slots at music festivals. Chvrches is known for their 80’s synth-pop sound and their latest album does not stray from this trend. With tracks featuring layered rhythms and heavy electronic textures, Every Open Eye showcases the unique vocals of lead singer Lauren Mayberry and talented instrumentalists Iain Cook and Martin Doherty.
The album picks up with the solid first track, “Never Ending Circles.” The energetic electronic beats flow smoothly into the popular hit “Leave A Trace.” The earlier released single quickly gained popularity on Spotify and YouTube, giving fans an accurate preview of the excellence of the album. The lyrics “You think I’ll apologize for things I left behind/But you got it wrong” set the mood for the overall album—one that tells the tale of betrayal and survival.
Mayberry’s vocals soar into the brisk pace of the next track, “Keep You On My Side,” a catchy beat that paves the way into the inspiration-laden lyrics of “Make Them Gold.” Mayberry takes the role of motivational speaker as she sings “We are made of our longest days/We are falling but not alone” and “we will take the best parts of ourselves and make them gold.”
From this point, the album downshifts a bit with “Clearest Blue” and “High Enough To Carry You Over,” the latter sung by Doherty. His smooth vocals offer a dynamic contrast to the heavy electronic textures of the rest of the album and set the stage for the danceable track, “Empty Threat.” The song screams empowerment as Mayberry sings to “take it back with no regrets” and leaves the listener with a sense of triumph.
The somber, mellow sound of “Down Side of Me” gives way to the defiant “Playing Dead”—a personal favorite on the album. The listener can easily relate and be inspired as Mayberry sings of self-sufficiency and ambition: “I am chasing the skyline much more than you ever will.” As the album flows into the heady beat of “Bury It,” the theme to forgive and forget shines brightly. The layered rhythms and electronic textures featured in this track perfectly sum up Chrvches’ style. The trio’s album comes to a close with the somber “Afterglow,” a cleansing track with little instrumentation that highlights the purity of Mayberry’s voice and wraps up the album with a sense of accomplishment.
Every Open Eye reaches energetic highs and mellow lows while telling the tale of betrayal, survival and ambition. With immense drums, layered beats and a singer that’s not afraid to put emotion and vulnerability into every syllable, Chvrches creates a sound that is overwhelmingly endearing.
Tracks to check out: “Leave A Trace,” “Empty Threat,” “Make Them Gold” and “Playing Dead”
A junior studying journalism and music business at the University of Georgia, Camren spends her time procrastinating under the discover tab on Spotify and taking pictures of her dog. After spending the summer abroad, she has a remarkable appreciation for good gelato, cheap wine and British accents. With favorites like Simon and Garfunkel, Dave Matthews Band, Coldplay and Moon Taxi, she is open to a variety of musical genres and is a connoisseur of any and all music festivals. In her spare time you can find her binge watching her latest obsession on Netflix or dreaming of ways to meet and marry John Krasinski.
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