Alvvays – Blue Rev

Review Score:

A

The Unprecedented Times –

August 31 / 2023

With a band like Alvvays, I sometimes get a little anxious about a new album cycle. Their discography, consisting of just 2 albums prior to 2022, was undoubtedly strong. Antisocialites was a success, and the leading singles were promising. However, whenever a band with a great track record is about to release something new, I nervously root for them to stick the landing.

In just a few days’ time, I will be seeing Alvvays and Alex G on tour. When I first saw the announcement of this collaborative show, I was almost in a state of disbelief. It’s an unusually perfect combination, akin to the Barbenheimer of indie music. I couldn’t be more thrilled. In anticipation of this show, I’ve been listening heavily to both artists’ catalogs. And in doing so, I rediscovered my love for Alvvays’ Antisocialites.

Perhaps their best album to date, Blue Rev showcases Alvvays’ most shoegaze-influenced work thus far. The 14 tracks are immersed in melodramatic layers of guitar and synths. Guitarist Alec O’Hanley and vocalist Molly Rankin write so naturally in this space that you’d think they were 30-year veterans of the genre. The resulting record was undeniably one of the best of 2022. The opening track, “Pharmacist,” wastes little time before launching the listener into the energetic rhythm that permeates the album. “Easy On Your Own?” and “After the Earthquake” are equally excellent songs. “Blue Rev” differs from past projects in the prevalence of synths from top to bottom. It leans into them but doesn’t abandon the band’s propensity for reverberated guitar riffs. It feels like Alvvays is finding their perfect sound before our eyes.

While I love the high-energy tracks, I most appreciated the moodier songs, like “Tile by Tile” or “Lottery Noises.” They reminded me of some of my favorites from their previous album. These new tracks sound like evolved versions of “Dreams Tonite” and “Not My Baby.”

Reportedly, Molly Rankin had several demos recorded following the release of Antisocialites, but a thief broke into her apartment and stole the recorder that contained them. A basement flood and the pandemic also posed threats to the progress of “Blue Rev,” but despite all the adversities during the album’s creation, the band ended up with a phenomenal project. I can’t wait to see it performed live

Review Score:

A

Gubb wrote this review. You can’t get mad at Gubb.