Nonfiction

My Love Letter To Chvrches

I will sheepishly confess that I’m not one hundred percent sure how to write a music review; I don’t know what’s musically distinctive. Or what’s special or not special in regards to sound, instrumentation, or the nuances of style. Technicalities. Which is why this is not a review. This is a love letter. And it’s […]

I will sheepishly confess that I’m not one hundred percent sure how to write a music review; I don’t know what’s musically distinctive. Or what’s special or not special in regards to sound, instrumentation, or the nuances of style. Technicalities. Which is why this is not a review. This is a love letter. And it’s for Chvrches, a synthpop band from Glasgow; a band I discovered through my brother.

If I give more than enough ground, will you claim it?

I will take it all in one breath and hold it down

And if I try to pretend that I don’t hear it

You can tell me to move and I won’t go

You can tell me to try and I won’t go — Playing Dead

While I gravitated to a few tracks off their debut album, The Bones Of What You Believe (“The Mother We Share” is simply a ‘must listen’), I’m wholeheartedly reveling in their second album, Every Open Eye.

I believe, I believe

And tell myself to think forward

I will show I believe

And I hold you up and know that you’re all

I see in the light

And never do what I used to — Down Side Of Me

It’s been a while since I’ve poured myself into an album like this. Upon listening, I feel utterly refreshed; refreshed to hear pop that is sweetly vivacious, musically, and emotionally rich, lyrically.

Whenever I feel it coming on

You can be well aware

If ever I try to push you away

You can just keep me there

So please say you’ll meet me

Meet me halfway — Clearest Blue

I can gush as far to say that listening to Every Open Eye has been a ‘spiritual’ endeavor for me. For where I am and where I could be. We bring what we want to these tracks. We can interpret as we see fit, allowing them to guide us through our timeline.  

A lifeline to highs and lows

To seeing the bright side

And I should know

We wait for the afterglow

To cover the blind side

And I should know — Afterglow

The bright pastels of Chvrches’ bubble gum sound is quite delectable and delicious. And that coupled with words of substance culminates into one incredibly gratifying experience.

We are made up of our mistakes

We are falling but not alone

We will take the best parts of ourselves

And make them gold — Make Them Gold