If the thought of a concept album about millennial struggles makes you want pull your ears off, look away now.
The Melbourne post-hardcore troupe have done just that for their second album, and frontman Sam Jarratt says it’s their most honest yet. “I was sick of worrying about what people might think if they knew who I really am,” he declared.
Well, he needn’t panic. Lyrics about inner turmoil following a break-up are hardly a groundbreaking confessional, but what they’ve created is an accessible, pop-tinged record. After the reverb-heavy slur of opener Second Best, lead single Jaded Ghost leaps out, sounding like a homage to Head Automatica. The bouncy post-hardcore sound veers in and out, cropping up again on S.W.F.Y, while the bulk of the tracks – Carcinova and Medicine in particular – favour a slow tempo and the yearning ring of clean guitars. This is a solid collection of MySpace-recalling screamo, which in this case, is no bad thing.