The Student Playlist

Showcasing the Best New Music, Curating the Classics

REVIEW: Alvvays – ‘Antisocialites’ (Transgressive)

  • 7/10
    - 7/10
7/10

Summary

Joyous, highly melodic indie power-pop from Toronto’s Alvvays on their second album ‘Antisocialites’.

Alvvays, an indie-pop five-piece from Toronto, come back strongly with their sophomore album that follows a very well-received self-titled debut from 2014. Their newest LP, Antisocialities, feels like a breath of fresh air, especially for those who have been waiting impatiently for the band to release some new material.

Antisocialities doesn’t fall far from the eponymous first LP, but it does ensure the listener of the high quality of songwriting, which the band presented in the past. Alvvays are far from being a one-album-wonder or a band whose potential is yet to be revealed, proving their confident position on the indie pop music scene.

They have been able to successfully take their music out of their home country of Canada and find many listeners across the border, in the United States, as well as across the pond, in the UK and Europe. Alvvays could have been swayed by such fast progress of their career, but on their second album, they look inwards – portraying the turmoil of love, relationships, and heartbreak.

The first song of the album, ‘In Undertow’, possesses a dream-pop quality and is incredibly catchy. ‘Dreams Tonite’ will remind some listeners of Sharon Van Etten, especially in the chorus, when the vocalist, Molly Rankin, reaches that hypnotic quality of her upper register. On ‘Your Type’, Alvvays get a little bit noisier, with percussion and distorted guitars dominating the arrangement. Similar vibe can be found on ‘Hey’, where on top of vibrant instrumentation and uplifting atmosphere, the keys sneak in stealing the show in the bridge of the song.

The newest release from Alvvays is an incredibly enjoyable listen. The album is driven by Rankin’s angelic vocals and melodic inventiveness which makes Antisocialities not only pleasant but also interesting and memorable. Let’s only hope that Alvvays will be able to deliver more music of this kind and quality. (7/10) (Alicja Rutkowska)

Listen to Antisocialites by Alvvays here via Spotify, and tell us what you think below!

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