By Claire Kim
Chvrches released their second studio album, Every Open Eye, on Sept. 25th after a long three year wait. Burdened with the difficult task of topping their critically acclaimed debut album, The Bones of What You Believe, the Scottish synthpop band spent a substantial amount of time preparing their follow-up.
Their first album included their hit single “The Mother We Share,” which has greatly affected the music styles of today’s pop. But, Chvrches has overcome incredible odds and has returned to fans with an album that does not disappoint. Every Open Eye is brimming with optimism and ambition with an underlying grit that keeps the sound addicting. The main vocalist of the band, Lauren Mayberry, creates a relaxing and pure vibe with an edge that is wonderfully integrated with the 80’s inspired funky synthpop.
The pop music produced by Chvrches is a new and refreshing take on classic pop music. (It’s no wonder Taylor Swift and Carly Rae Jepsen have adopted similar textures and released them on their own albums). The colorful sounds that have the possibility of coming off as simple or juvenile are paired with deeply meaningful lyrics about everything from the struggles of finding happiness as a millennial to the misogyny that cloaks the music industry. The connection to millennials is especially pronounced in their song, “Playing Dead,” where a bold Mayberry belts out, “I am chasing the skyline more than you ever will.”
During their three years of preparation for the album, Chvrches became well-known for receiving and countering misogynistic online abuse. The target of these attacks Lauren Mayberry, has been openly defiant and unrelenting in exposing these offenses both online and in her music. The abuse that Mayberry faces as a female public figure is saddening but all too familiar. Her lyrics in the songs “Never Ending Circles” and “Leave a Trace” demand closure to these experiences while leaving the listener devastated.
Chvrches has taken a step back from the fame they received with their debut to construct a cleaner and more refined sophomore album. They have come back to the music scene with songs that are sonically, musically and visually much more complex and thought-provoking than their previous work. In a time where synth music is being produced and shared more than ever before, Chvrches still dominates by being the best in the field. The shiny novelty of synth music will not fade for this group as their dedication to the lyrics and meaning continues to be clearly shown in each of their works.
