Canadian indie pop band, Alvvays is giving off some serious Cali vibes on their recently released sophomore album, Antisocialites. If you like Best Coast and The Submarines, this album is for you.
“Your Type” especially reflects their seemingly coastal roots with head bobbing instrumentals. This song makes you want to drive with the windows down, with the beach as your only destination.
Other songs like the album’s first track “In Undertow” and “Dreams Tonite” veer away from coastal influences to a dream-like — but not quite dream pop — feeling with airy vocals and lyrics that read like poetry.
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The band plays around with metaphors in “Dreams Tonite” to insinuate a deteriorating relationship. “Who starts a fire just to let it go out?” and “Who builds a wall just to let it fall down?” show how either passion fades or people just stop trying to make things work. Either way, these lyrics definitely resonate with a college-aged crowd just trying to figure their first real relationships out.
The beauty of this album is how collective it feels while playing around with different melodies and tempos. “Hey” gives us some ’80s vibes, playing around with the synthesizer.
The band also has a sense of humor with “Saved By A Waif.” Lead singer Molly Rankin shows off her high notes as she sings “You cut your hair/now you look like a little boy.” Whoever she is singing about seems to come from a pretentious household with lyrics “Mommy wants you to be a doctor so she can tell her friends.” These tongue in cheek lyrics paired with danceable guitar riffs make for a solid song.
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Once again playing with oceanic imagery, “Already Gone” will make your heart ache a little bit with lyrics “The summer’s over” to signify the end of a fling that “bubb[led] only briefly.” But that’s okay because “Not My Baby” is about post-breakup freedom. It’s about a person who is so over a relationship and ready to do their own thing. The “I don’t care” attitude of this song is actually liberating. In the outro, Rankin literally sings “I feel alive for the first time.”
This perfectly sized, 10-song album is overall a must listen for any indie pop/rock fans. Really, it’s listenable for anyone who likes funky melodies and lyrics that don’t spoon feed you meaning. Alvvays’ songs are relatable to a young crowd, often fun and create vivid imagery.
A well-done sophomore album shows great things are in store for this oh-so-cool band. No irony intended. They really are super cool, and you’ll feel a little cool yourself listening to them.
