Chvrches - Love Is Dead (2018)

Absolutely sure turrican you’ll like it

This is a good record but I can’t imagine this band has much left to say after this one. They haven’t changed their sound much unlike other synth pop groups, other than the new one feeling like pop punky. Also get the guy off there, that’s t least favourite trope in music, secondary singers singing when it wasn’t formerly established

As a previous poster said Mayberry needs to go solo

the guy sings on every previous chvrches record

uncoincidentally always the worst track on the record

Yeah, I was gonna say! He sings on two tracks on the debut and one track on the second album. Disagree with Brad's statement, though - I love both 'High Enough to Carry You Over' and 'You Caught the Light' ...

Anyhow, if this record really is "more of the same", then looks like I'm in for a treat.

Also, welcome back Ross! It's like you never left!

“high enough to carry you over” is fine. it’s still the worst track on every open eye

it's 'more of the same but not as good', an important distinction

I'll be the judge of that when I hear it for myself.

(Particularly since I've read a lot on here that I've disagreed with regarding the first two albums also)

For me, 'Down Side of Me' is the "worst" track on Every Open Eye, but it still rules so it doesn't matter.

Looking forward to the promo interviews for the next record where they'll talk about how they wanted to get away from external co-writers and "get back to basics"

Thanks turrican! I was gone for a day lol

It’s a great pop record and delivers everythinf I want from
That wheelhouse. I confess I didn’t know he was on the other records as my knowledge of this band is confined to initial eps debut and remixes

Well, just finished my second listen to Love is Dead and unsurprisingly I love it from beginning to end. I have to admit, part of me was worried about them getting outside assistance with the production in case it turned into Moth-like disaster, but basically it's resulted in yet another wonderful Chvrches record that sounds sonically gorgeous on headphones. It's different enough to set it apart from previous work, while not sacrificing what makes them great - a balancing act they also achieved on their last album. Just superb. I was skeptical about some of the prior comments about the record here, and seems like I was right to be. Chvrches have done it again! Superb.

"Unwelcome second string singers" would be a good thread idea

see also: that one purity ring track where the dude sings

Also the gang gang dance track with the dude

I'm glad we are all wising up to this obnoxious trend

Create the thread tbh

this album is really great

the album cover is so 2001

The album did nothing for me but this works surprisingly well!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msgimk3mV6g

Nice. Love is always stuck in my head

guy singing does nothing but hold them back

Indeed

Best CHVRCHES song of 2018.

Incredible cover

guy singing does nothing but hold them back

― niels, Friday, July 20, 2018 7:03 AM (thirteen hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

It's difficult to agree with this when they're doing so well.

Still playing the shit out of their superb recent album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWI-VukpyTk

uh what the hell!!!! this rules way more than most of Love is Dead AND it's a collaboration with my favourite group in the world

On repeat. Might be my song of the year. Might be the best CHVRCHES song ever. I no longer feel like the world is doomed.

oh shit this song rules

I definitely thought of you Brad when I heard it since it's them at their most synth-emo

yeah otm, when it got to the first of the two (?) choruses i was like "hell yeah this is the SOUND"

Chvrches never fail to deliver the goods - no surprise that this is great!

Great band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq9uZj3tl9w

covered The Downtown Lights!!!

I have no idea who Lo Moon are, but their vocalist does a mighty fine Buchanan impression.

Lo Moon thread - Lo Moon

Will be interesting to see where Lo Moon's second album goes, but their first, particularly "Loveless" is very much in the Mark Hollis / later-era Talk Talk vein. There's also a YouTube clip out there with Lo Moon covering Prefab Sprout's "Bonny" on this tour.

Hoping that the attention spurs new Paul Buchanan or Paddy McAloon activity.

i just don't know what to think about this Chvrches album. it's good, not as good as the last two, but have no desire to revisit it. those three or four songs are really good thou, some of their best.

Album is still amazing, can't wait to hear what they do next - even if it is more of the same!

I hated ‘Love Is Dead’ so much that it’s sort of even ruined their debut for me. :(

Yeah, Love Is Dead did a lot of damage for me too. Probably my biggest musical disappointment of 2018.

they released two great songs this year (Graffiti and Out Of My Head) but the rest were mediocre to terrible, Miracle is the worst thing they've ever done

Hmm I thought the album was kinda uneven compared to its predecessor but it still had a lot of bops: Get Out, Forever, Never Say Die, Graffiti, etc.

The only song that isn't as good as the others is 'God's Plan', the rest is business as usual great stuff. This isn't because the dude sings on it, either - 'You Caught the Light' and 'High Enough to Carry You Over' are two of my favourite Chvrches tracks.

For me, it’s way different than their first two albums. They just don’t sound like a synthpop act anymore. Even ‘Every Open Eye’ made me a lil nervous, but it did have a killer lead single imo.

It’s like they decided to focus too much on shooting for “anthemic,” and the result is a bizarrely sterile EDM version of Paramore or something??

Meh, I don't think it's that different. Pretty much most of these songs would have fit snugly on either of their first two albums - they haven't radically changed their songwriting style or melodic sense and thank god for that because I'd hate them to. The biggest difference is in the production, which a little more shiny, but no less synthpop. They were always anthemic and have very little in common with EDM, which is a dreadful term anyway.

And what's wrong with Paramore!?!

Nothing, really! Just didn’t want CHVRCHES to go in that direction.

it’s ok tho because iirc, we both agree that Ladytron incl. their more recent non-‘witching hour’ albums are underrated. <3

Yeah, that's right! :D They've got a new one due out soon and about time too!