Pale Waves – ‘Smitten’ review: loved-up liberation

Pale Waves have by no means been afraid of fixing issues up, or sporting their influences on their sleeve. On their attractive debut album ‘My Thoughts Makes Noises’, the goth-pop band carry collectively shimmering ’80s pop and emo theatrics, resulting in a detailed relationship with The 1975. 2021’s spiky ‘Who Am I?’ switched issues up, pulling heavy inspiration from Alanis Morissette and ’90s alt-rock, whereas 2022’s ‘Undesirable’ was a snotty love letter to Avril Lavigne-style pop-punk.

Their lush new album ‘Smitten’, nonetheless, seems like a Pale Waves file, although there are many nods to what’s come earlier than. The fiery ‘Miss America’ is as pressing and defiant as something on their final album, the dreamy ‘Pondering About You’ echoes The Cranberries, and ‘Seeing Stars’ is a burst of polished ’80s pop perfection. However as a substitute of echoing their best hits, Pale Waves consistently supply one thing new with a refreshing swagger.

Lyrically as nicely, Pale Waves have actually stepped issues up with ‘Smitten’. For the reason that launch of ‘Who Am I?’ lower ‘She’s My Faith’, the band have all the time celebrated the LGBTQI+ neighborhood. However with vocalist Heather Baron-Gracie utilizing her personal diary as inspiration, ‘Smitten’ is by far their queerest file but. There’s heartbreak on twinkling opening quantity ‘Glasgow’ whereas ‘Final Practice Residence’ is pushed by thundering loss. Elsewhere, the fearless ‘Not A Love Tune’ offers with disgrace, sin and uncertainty.

However there’s additionally a complete lot of affection to be discovered throughout ‘Smitten’ – songs that flirt with despair finally bear optimistic classes about self-worth and acceptance that emerge over time. The wide-eyed ‘Kiss Me Once more’, the triumphant ‘Gravity’ and the giddy ‘Fragrance’ are completely joyous. All this romance is a world away from the angst and fury that’s dominated their earlier data, however Pale Waves actually personal these full-bodied love songs.

Pale Waves began lots of ‘Smitten’’s large pop songs on acoustic guitar. Contemplating that artistic course of and the last decade’s value of expertise they now possess, it’s unsurprising that there’s a newfound directness to ‘Smitten’. Baron-Gracie is now not hiding behind fairly metaphors. “I’ll be the rationale that your father will get so fucking mad/ I’ll be the sinner for these emotions you ignore,” she declares on the fiercely tender ‘Hate To Harm You’. Ending with the groove-driven triumph of ‘Sluggish’, a track about lust, liberation and following your intestine, ‘Smitten’ is a loved-up file that’ll have you ever falling for Pale Waves over again.