Circa Waves – Never Going Under Review

Follow Cult Following

Get more of our coverage in Google.

Never going under? Is that a threat, Circa Waves? Because after Sad Happy, it shall be taken as one. Cliché indie rock pieces, Never Going Under has a lot of work to do to restore the faith of a band still coasting on T-Shirt Weather. Releasing an album in the early embers of the new year would deem it not a time for t-shirt weather, but Never Going Under makes a remarkable attempt at moving the band on that little bit further. Predictable indie pop this may be, Never Going Under has a scattering of acceptable moments. “I think I’ve died and gone to hell” Hell On Earth notes. That same feeling is cast across Never Going Under, the devils of generic rock return with some insipid notes.

Hell on Earth, actually, is as close to political commentary as Circa Waves have come, and only because they say politicians are liars. Daring, cutting points to make, a real inspirational turn of phrase. Circa Waves’ image is as desperately pop-oriented and annoying as the flashy colours of The Hoosiers were, but the latter is saved because the divorce of nostalgia is optional, not mandatory. Your Ghost is a completely forgotten track, as much presence as an apparition would have. Kieran Shudall has had plenty of time to prove he can write something that isn’t a very wasted and underdeveloped crowd-pleasing bit of novelty, but has failed to convince on Never Going Under. It is pumped full of empty gestures, Carry You Home reveals all it can in the title of the track yet on it goes for three minutes.

Much of Never Going Under is not awful, it is well-produced and has some varyingly solid moments, it is just completely generic and a waste of time for those that have heard anything similar before. No surprises within. Northern Town smacks of insulting qualities, the band using their roots as a way of peddling their flat-yet-loud style. Electric City powers through with no spark at all and Want It All Today has the audacity to tease some decent piano work throughout and do absolutely nothing with it. Want It All Today is horrific. That piano, which starts to lose its charm and feels more comfortable opening and closing an advert for Sky Go, is overwhelmed by some awful lyrics that see Shudall work his charm on whatever “honey” he is crooning to.

There is still nothing to differentiate Circa Waves from anything else in the genre. Golden Days should be proof enough of that. It all depends on what the listener hears first. Light, pop-focused tracks, there is a clear note throughout that Circa Waves wants to be that big festival headliner. A triumphant, optimistic fusion of The Killers and Ed Sheeran. With tracks like this, they are unfortunately destined for that through osmosis of upbeat consistency alone. As generic as they were way back when, the bland poster boys of acceptably safe indie rock return with little charm and less to offer. Muted tones, dull stylings from the plain stupid lyrics and very predictable riffs, with fewer hooks than ever before. Circa Waves may find themselves going under if they cannot piece together something that charts a unique sound or interesting development for the genre they plant themselves firmly in.