‘Love is Dead’ has some flaws, but Chvrches’ latest effort is still a good one
The band does everything it can to push listeners away on their latest effort but there’s some good music to be found here
The first thing I wondered when I saw the band name “Chvrches” is “how do you pronounce that?” The answer is boring (it’s pronounced “churches”) but this relatively young-band is quite interesting. They’re composed of three people — Lauren Mayberry (who does most of the singing), Iain Cook, and Martin Doherty — they’re from Scotland, and their brand of synth-pop is refreshing and catchy. Chvrches is a relatively young band, but they’ve already racked up an impressive amount of awards and online coverage.
Perhaps even more importantly, their new album is fantastic, once one looks past all the reasons to pass it by. The album art is weird, for one thing, and to make matters worse, the actual title of Love is Dead sounds like either melodrama or a bad joke. Finally, their type of music can easily push people away and isn’t nearly as accessible as the songs you might see at the top of Spotify this year. However, despite all these reasons, Love is Dead is well worth a listen. It’s catchy, energetic, and Mayberry’s vocals mix well with the mixture of synth and dance music behind them.
Chvrches’ music is good — as I noted above — because it’s catchy and energetic. Mayberry sings on the vast majority of the band’s songs, and these are invariably the best ones. Her vocal range is impressive, and fits perfectly with the production on this album. The production as an element is worth mentioning on its own, and is especially important given the type of music Chvrches makes. Bands can occasionally away with poor production on acoustic or rock albums, but that’s not true for synth-pop or electronic music, where every musical element needs to be perfectly placed. Chvrches relies on a complex mixture of instruments and atmospheric effects, and the strong production values of this album ensure that the sound just always works.
The second song (and lead single) on the album, “Get Out” is a great example of the band’s approach and appeal. Buzzing synths start the track, before the rhythmic verse transforms into a soaring chorus. This song showcases Mayberry’s vocal range, as she switches between the anthemic choruses much more restrained verses. Mayberry isn’t necessarily saying anything terribly important throughout the entire track, but that’s easy to ignore, given how well she performs. “Get Out” is a good example of the band’s strengths, but the opener, “Graffiti,” middle-of-the-album standout, “Heaven/Hell,” and closer, “Wonderland” are also good showcases of the group at its best.
Even though the music is good as a whole, it isn’t perfect. The lyrics are perhaps the album’s weakest part. There’s nothing cringe-worthy as far as phrasing goes, but there also aren’t any verses or lines that are great, either. Electronic music isn’t known for particularly insightful wordplay, and Chvrches, for all of their other strengths, don’t do much to change that image with Love is Dead. In addition, the album drags on a little too long. Some of the songs in the second half feel unnecessary, and shaving 10 or 15 minutes off the total runtime would have been welcome.
However, despite its imperfections, Love is Dead reaches some impressive music heights. When the band is at its best, they create truly unique music that is captivating, enthralling, and sticks in one’s head for hours afterwards. When Mayberry hits the top of her vocal range in “Heaven/Hell” (the best song on the album), it creates an experience that listeners won’t forget anytime soon. “Get Out” may be the best advertisement for Love is Dead, but “Heaven/Hell” is the best example of the band’s true talent.
Chvrches is still a young band with an impressive discography, and I’m excited to see where they go next. With another few years to build on lyrical maturity, the music could easily become even better. Creating albums that are consistently good from start to finish is difficult, and many bands go their entire careers without hitting that high mark. This album is still enjoyable because of its best parts though, and a few songs that fall short don’t spoil the experience.
Perhaps the best recommendation I can give is this — I rarely listen to music that comes even close to electronic or synth-pop, and I have greatly enjoyed Chvrches’ latest effort. Their first two albums are excellent as well, and easily worth listening to. For anyone looking to make a foray into new genres or this one specifically, this is a great place to start.
