-=- SHGZ -=-
* Shoegaze * Indie * Post-Rock * Grunge * Dream Pop * Psych-Rock * Ethereal *
ARTIST..: Charly Bliss
ALBUM...: Young Enough
GENRE...: Indie
STYLE...: Power Pop, Pop Punk, Pop Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock,
Bubblegum, Grunge
YEAR....: 2019
LABEL...: Lucky Number
ENCODER.: FLAC 1.3.1 -8 -V
BITRATE.: 974 kbps avg
QUALITY.: 44.1kHz / 2 channels
SOURCE..: CD
TRACKS..: 11
SIZE....: 275.13 MB
URL..: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charly_Bliss#Albums
- TRACKLIST
1 Blown To Bits 3:37
2 Capacity 3:41
3 Under You 3:20
4 Camera 3:11
5 Fighting In The Dark 1:10
6 Young Enough 5:19
7 Bleach 3:51
8 Chatroom 3:36
9 Hurt Me 3:43
10 Hard To Believe 3:46
11 The Truth 3:41
Total Playtime: 38:55
NOTICE: 7.2 ADVANCE and PROMO releases can always be duped by any retail
release even if the tracks on both releases are identical.
EU Retail released under Lucky Number Music Limited - Different label info
on back cover than the US Retail released under Barsuk Records.
*
Recording an excellent debut album is mostly a blessing, of course. But
there's some curse involved, too, in that you have to figure out how to
follow it up.
That's not easy to do. Usually, it means refusing to stagnate, lest you be
labeled a one-trick pony. So you must try to record a set of songs that
showcase some artistic growth and aesthetic ambition, but at the same time,
you don't want to stray too far from what worked so well the first time out.
On their second album Young Enough, Charly Bliss navigates these various
pressures and pitfalls without overthinking them. The hotly-tipped New York
City combo broke through nationally in 2017 on the strength of its debut
album Guppy, a perfect ù yeah, I said it ù 10-track blast of sweetly serrated
pop-rock supercharged with punky energy and plentiful hooks. Two years later,
Young Enough introduces new moods and textures without tamping down the
band's irrepressible likeability.
The primary driver of that likeability is singer Eva Hendricks, whose
distinctively squeaky voice makes her sound like she's overjoyed about
everything she sings, even when her lyrics veer toward the darker side of
life and love. There's a fair amount of the latter on Young Enough, but it's
balanced by a thread of hope and resilience and independence that runs
through these songs. "Bite the hand that feeds the boy. He's beautiful and
I'm annoyed," Hendricks sings in "The Truth," the album's rumbling synth-rock
closer. "40 years or days from now, I'd kill myself to cut you out."
The prominence of synthesizers and keyboards are the biggest difference
between Young Enough and Guppy. The backbone of opening track "Blown to Bits"
is an oscillating tone that drones as the rest of the song builds to its
peak. The keyboard-driven "Hurt Me" is the closest Charly Bliss has come yet
to a ballad. In "Capacity," Hendricks' hand-wringing about her faults is
surrounded by mechanical beats, a buzzing bass line and gleaming electronic
arpeggios. Later, the blend of synths, strings and skins in "Chatroom" lands
the song somewhere between indie-pop and disco. You could do the hustle to
the song's defiant coda, as Hendricks sings "left for dead but I'm not gonna
take you home, I'm not gonna save you."
There are a handful of songs here that either play down or eliminate the
synths, and those should please fans of Guppy who don't like change. "Under
You" is a bouncy pop-punk tune that recalls criminally underrated L.A. punk
vets The Muffs. On penultimate track "Hard to Believe," the band buried its
catchiest chorus. And the guitars on "Camera" alternately jangle and sear as
Hendricks delivers a classic Charly Bliss vocal melody. You can practically
hear her smiling as she sings "if you think it's bad today just wait."
There is unquestionably a centerpiece song on Young Enough, and that's the
title track, which clocks in at just over five minutes long ù an epic by this
band's standards. It's time well-spent: slow-burning, dynamic, emotionally
resonant and representative of Charly Bliss in 2019. Here, you can hear how
the synthetic sounds better contextualize Hendricks' desperate words by
drawing out their meaning and feeling rather than running roughshod over them
like Guppy's rollicking arrangements. In doing so, they also open up a
promising path forward for the band. That sophomore album challenge? Charly
Bliss nailed it.
*
The follow-up to their 2017 debut album, Young Enough leaves behind some of
the grungier corners of Guppy while doubling down on caffeinated alt-rock
anthems. That's to say they don't abandon distortion and animated rock drums,
but prominent synths and a more extroverted and aerodynamic front land a
little closer to No Doubt than the Breeders while remaining on that
continuum. Following albums with acts including Morrissey and the Front
Bottoms, Joe Chiccarelli produced the record. "Blown to Bits" kicks things
off with a needling synth tone before the rest of the band and, eventually,
overdriven guitar and crashing cymbals join in. On that song, lead singer Eva
Hendricks' distinctively bright, almost helium-like vocals are mixed high
above the clatter, much like they are on songs like the punk-poppy, noodling
"Under You" and "Bleach." At least as often, though, Hendricks' hooky
melodies are given space in sleeker arrangements such as on the borderline
dance-pop of "Chat Room" and the mid-tempo "Capacity," with its combination
of rumbly and bloopy textures providing supportive surfaces more than
competition. Even the more reflective "Young Enough" has atmospheric synths
and echoing guitars that approximate a ground-level fog that never reaches
Hendricks' height. Meanwhile, lyrics including "I used to think that I should
be good at everything/Now I know I was wrong/I used to think that I should do
right by everyone/Now I know I was wrong" navigate the hard lessons and
unknowns of young adulthood. Ultimately, Young Enough outshines a promising
debut, delivering a steady mix of summery earworms and angst.
*
With Young Enough, Charly Bliss' excellent and important second album, the
band have decided to trust their audience.
The quartetùvocalist and guitarist Eva Hendricks, guitarist Spencer Fox,
bassist Dan Shure, and drummer Sam Hendricksùhave largely traded the '90s
flannel bubble-grunge of their fun debut, 2017's Guppy, for '80s
pastel-covered new wave. In other words: Guppy was a rock album that happened
to have sharp pop hooks; Young Enough is a pop album that just happens to
rock.
And to be clear, the band still rocks out, as on "Blown To Bits," the
arena-ready opener, and "Under You," the track closest to Guppy's sound. But
Young Enough is a pop album through and through, something that's immediately
obvious both from Joe Chiccarelli's high gloss production, as well as the
purposeful emphasis of bright and memorable melodies.
Part of this pivot is the heavy lyrical content of the record. Much of it
finds Hendricks detailing and working through the thoughts and feelings of
the sexual assault she suffered from her now ex-boyfriend. Pairing self-doubt
("I can feel my sanity dissolve"), self-blame ("I elected to drown in you"),
and deeply uncomfortable descriptions ("Columns of confetti colors bleed /
Kisses pressed into a scream") with twinkling and bouncing songwriting might
seem counterproductive on the surface. Yet her ability to make something
catchy out of such pain acts as a something of balm and, more importantly,
it's a middle finger to the perpetrator.
Speaking of defiance, the album's best 'fuck you' is also its best song. The
ear candy-rific "Chatroom" has expertly-dripped sarcasm ("Everybody knows
you're the second coming"), and brilliantly highlights the ass-backwards
burden of proof for sexual assault survivors ("A smoking gun equivalent, a
measure of proof / As if your heart could stand the bullet if it wasn't the
truth / Frozen in a catastrophic cycle to choose / As if your heart could
stand the bullet if it wasn't the truth").
Which brings us back to trusting the audience. The idea of turning such a
dark experience into singalong material is a difficult balancing act, and one
that requires placing faith in the listener's attention. Certainly these
songs are designed to be sung or screamed back to Hendricks when played live,
and singing through the pain, and having it sung back to you by others who
can possibly relate, might be the point. "I needed it to be a pop song,"
Hendricks says of "Chatroom" (and, really, the album as a whole), "because
pop music makes me feel strong. Pop music is a communal experience. It's
meant to be something you experience with other people, whether that is
through dancing or screaming along with your friends." Young Enough, then, is
essential because it's the latest reminder of the healing power of music.
*
The Brooklyn band's second record is bigger and darker, amplifying their '80s
new-wave sparkle into ecstatic triumph.
Darkness is always bubbling beneath Charly Bliss. On their 2017 debut Guppy,
the Brooklyn bandùsinger and guitarist Eva Hendricks, her brother and drummer
Sam, guitarist Spencer Fox, and bassist Dan Shureùoffered a bundle of
off-kilter confessionals that were at once sneering and vulnerable. Over
blasts of power pop, Hendricks celebrated the death of a lover's beloved pet,
gazed at a boyfriend's new partner like "softcore porn," and gleefully
admitted that her conscience was "fucked." The effect was buoyant and campy,
an unapologetically complex portrait of femininity.
While it retains its predecessor's spirit and attitude, Charly Bliss' second
record, Young Enough, takes a bit of a chill pill. Guppy buried traces of
electro-pop beneath grunge fuzz, and Young Enough amplifies that '80s
new-wave sparkle into ecstatic triumph. It's nothing new for young bands to
trade their scrappy rock origins for a glossy sheenùjust look to Hendricks
family favorites Blondie. It's also not uncommon for bands to lose their
lyrical sincerity within a newfound over-produced sound. On Young Enough,
Charly Bliss walk this thin line gracefully.
Opener "Blown to Bits" builds off a sharp buzz of synth as Hendricks' voice
grows increasingly Auto-Tuned, dropping references to Cole Porter musicals,
Rilo Kiley, and reality television. "Capacity" bursts with eclectic
flourishes, from cavernous drum fissures to the metallic sheen of a guitar
synth pedal, a maximalist approach that Hendricks phrases explicitly: "I'm at
capacity, I'm spilling out of me!" The band allows all these textures to
steep, and when the bridge finally arrivesù"I was raised an East Coast witch
like/Doing nothing's sacrilegious/Triple overtime ambitious/Sentimental,
anxious kid"ùit feels like an epiphany rather than an outburst.
Charly Bliss' embrace of synth glitz does little to disguise Young Enough's
heaviness. Hendricks scrutinizes her present through the lens of her past,
reclaiming pain and prioritizing her own happiness. "I'm fucking joy and I
hemorrhage light," Hendricks shouts on "Bleach," her voice tart like she's
sucking on a WarHead. "He can destroy everything that I like!"
The transformation of trauma to catharsis reaches its apex near the album's
end with "Chatroom." Underneath its bubblegum euphoria, the lyrics tell of an
abusive ex, violence, and betrayal. "Wasted my summer slapping my face,
well/I wanna see you stripped down, naked," Hendricks taunts, her steady
voice barely masking a trace of vengeful relish. But "Chatroom" fuses pop and
pain into joyful release. Its spiritual companion, "Hard to Believe," takes a
similar approach, elevating Hendricks' emotional conflict with high-velocity
riffs. "Hurt Me," on the other hand, is the band's most somber song yet, a
synth-driven number that pushes Hendricks to the emotional brink as she
pleads, "You don't want to hurt me, baby." Charly Bliss have never sounded so
simultaneously restrained and desperate. Hendricks' voice hardly wavers as
her bandmates underline the confrontation with surges of electricity.
On intense moments like these, the razor-sharp wit Hendricks flashed on Guppy
is polished into something more meditative. Though her writing is still
deliriously idiosyncratic ("I'll occupy your nation, fool!" she declares on
"Under You"), she seems more comfortable letting vulnerable revelations stand
on their own, rather than downplaying them with a manic laugh. As such, her
storytelling has become more abstract. "Eyes like a funeral, mouth like a
bruise/Veins like a hallway, voice like a wound," she belts on "Hurt Me,"
painting a figure that bleeds like watercolors past the edges.
These stirring lines are made all the more immediate by the euphoric melodies
carrying them. The band recorded the breakneck Guppy twice, but on this
album, which was made in considerably less time, they sound patient even when
they're chasing a gigantic chorus. Building off a simple guitar note, the
record's slow-burning title track is perhaps the band's greatest
accomplishment yet. The band converges around Fox's guitar line, slowly
assembling something that isùto steal their phraseù"astronomically huge" and
joyful. As Hendricks recalls vignettes of warmly lit homes, bloody feet on
icy sidewalks, and crushed cigarettes, she acknowledges the masochistic
naivete of teenage romance: "We're young enough/To believe it should hurt
this much." It's an elemental concept that Charly Bliss set aflame.
*
In 2017, Charly Bliss released Guppy to much acclaim. It was youthful and
vibrant and 90's alternative leaning. Two years later, Charly Bliss have
released something else entirely. Young Enough is a big pop record with indie
songwriting, and it's great!
"Blown to Bits" opens the album with the promised explosion. While the songs
remain excellent throughout, "Blown to Bits" is where Charly Bliss wins you
over. The repetitive, tongue in cheek, "It's going to break my heart to see
you blown to bits!" is only made better by increasing autotune and the
swelling music. "Capacity" follows and gives a better idea of the album.
Hendricks has spoken about how a lot of Young Enough is about an abusive
relationship, and it sees her seizing control. "Chatroom" especially finds
interesting ways to deal with an emotional subject. She sings, "I was chaste
in the chatroom, talking about you, everybody knows you're the second
coming." There's so much irony dripping from her vocals, it's beautiful. On
"Camera" she warns, "How can I convince you not to stay? [à] If you think
it's bad today, just wait." Her voice makes her words sound light and fun,
but she's dead serious.
While Guppy's 90s influence was clear, Young Enough's overindulgent 80s edge
hits you over the head. Synth-heavy sounds are everywhere, but Charly Bliss
utilizes the sound and makes no apologies for it. Minute-long "Fighting in
the Dark" sees Hendricks using exclusively keys to set up the central almost
fun.-like title track. "Hurt Me" is a slickly produced ballad with twinkling
keys. There's still plenty of guitars but the new direction is constantly
made clear.
Young Enough is better than its predecessor in every way, and its predecessor
is very good. Every song should be a gigantic sing-along single, each with
its own level of catharsis. If more pop songs had Charly Bliss's sense of
craft, pop music would be in a much better place.
*
Charly Bliss's 2017 debut Guppy was the kind of alt-rock charmer that keeps
revealing secrets and pleasures beyond its tough, shiny exterior. The songs
mixed chugging Breeders riffs and vintage-Weezer poo-metal, a popular
retro-rock formula they nailed with uniquely uncanny precision. But the big
revelation was helium-voiced singer Eva Hendricks' ability to expunge deep
anxieties while still seeming sharp and in-control. "Ruby" was a
Nirvana-strength ode to her shrink; "Glitter" was a radiant guitar-gusher
about the emotionally crinkly subject of dating someone who weirded you out
by reminding you of yourself. On "Scare U" she pipped "I don't wanna scare
you/I don't wanna share you," and you got the sense she'd probably find a way
to shrug it off no matter how scary or shary things actually got.
The second Charly Bliss LP has plenty of bright, bracing power-pop: "Hard to
Believe" and Bleach" are New Pornographers-worthy in their quick and easy
sleekness, while the That Dog-y "Camera" riffs cleverly on identity theft. It
also sees the band leaning a little heavier on New Wave synthiness that was
present but inchoate on Guppy. That somewhat moodier texture fits the album's
difficult subject matter. "I'm at capacity/I'm spilling out of me/Desecrated
and complacent," Hendricks sings over the mechanical beat and keyboard blips
of "Capacity." On "Chatroom," she processes the aftermath of a sexual
assault, turning pain into rage.
Young Enough is poppier than its predecessor but not always as immediately
catchy. Sometimes that feels intentional and it can often be a good thing,
often slowing down the band's torpedo tunefulness to negotiate trauma in real
time. It's the mark of a band deepening the feelings of real personal
struggle beneath the churning guitars and sheer melodies.
-=- SHGZ -=-
P.S.
** Thanks ***
*** BCC FNT IPC SSR ***
*** For Knowing Where The Music Is At ***
*** Props to CaHeSo, awesome Asian Indie/Shoegaze ***
*** And to FANG/HOUND for supporting all the Indie lovers out there ***
--===--
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* NuHS we miss you! *
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