Pale Waves – Unwanted Review

Phasing through their emo-centric, power-pop style, Pale Waves’ third album, Unwanted, continues much of the same style and vibrance they have often carried. Sticking to what they are good at with their alternative-rock style brings about a fairly strong change of pace to the sound of the band while maintaining their consistent lyrical styles. Unwanted opens well enough, with the broad strokes of relatable charms on Lies bleeding through into each and every track. They are constant in that colloquial change, appealing to those that need to hear music that makes them feel sad enough to cry but good enough to dance. Such a blend is harder than it would seem, yet Pale Waves are crashing through with consistency.

Power pop charms are either infectious or grating, but Pale Waves have managed to survive on the former for some time. Title track Unwanted marks a good rendition of what their sound frequently provides, good musicianship with some relatively loose and amicable lyrics. As does the track to follow, The Hard Way. As does the next track, and on it goes. Despite the lyrical similarities and the almost identical process of Liar and The Hard Way, there are at least instrumental changes. That is where Pale Waves find their voice, not in the lyrical simplicity and consistency but in how their technical productions and style change from song to song. Often, that change is minimal, but when the changes come crashing through, they are noticeable advancements for the power pop genre.

Tracks like Jealousy and Alone are the stronger portions of reflective, disastrous relationship breakdown tracks. They have their place, and Pale Waves do well with this material. The frequency of it leaves little room for differentiation for weaker tracks Clean. Any time Pale Waves attempt to stray away from that power pop, alternative rock anger, they get very drab and inconsistent results. Without You is horrendously mediocre, a track that might as well be rattled off as a very generic track that provides no difference to the songs that precede or follow. Each track is a piece of regretful music that has no inherent difference beyond primitive guitar and drum work that soon tires of itself. At least Without You has a placid guitar solo that ever-so-briefly provides the song a moment to consider its unique consistencies.

What is consistent throughout Unwanted is copycat mechanisms that see lyrical changes of the slightest meaning. Each track means the same, despite some vague shifts in tone or mood. Unwanted is the same track thirteen times, and yet it manages to have rises and falls that would elicit the feeling of movement or growth. There is only stagnation on this latest release, a piece that does nothing to challenge the target audience of main character aesthetic-saddled young adults or those that just want a good cry to vaguely engaged lyrics. Pale Waves could offer much more than their constant series of notes and words relating to break-up regrets. Only Problem brags about letting someone go. Pale Waves should hope to leave this message behind them because after three albums of the same commentary, they are pushing closer and closer to being a dull breakup band. Self-aggrandising vanity comes not from the band producing mediocre tracks, but from those that can identify with their simplicity.