Alvvays: "Antisocialites"
by Kyla Rain
Alvvays’ latest album, “Antisocialites,” exceeds expectations with it’s fluid instrumentals and alluring vocals. The Ontario natives have just released their second album on September 8th. Their first album, “Alvvays,” was released in 2014 and reached number one on U.S. college charts, but only almost a week after “Antisocialites'” release, it’s already imminent that this new project will do better than the last.
“You find a way and try to hold on for as long as you can, you made a mistake you’d like to erase and I understand.”
The hypnotic sound of lead singer Kerri Maclellan’s voice floats through the first track on the album, “In Undertow.” This song immediately caught my attention, specifically the lyrics, which really resonate with me and tug at some buried heartstrings and experiences. I think we all can think back to a time where the only thing we wanted to do was become smaller and smaller, filled with regret or embarrassment. This song might be one of my personal favorites, just because it seems to calm that anxiety, another reminder that “hey, everyone else has felt this way before too and it’ll be okay, things will get better.”
Maybe it’s the ethereal quality that rings through each note which makes this album so soothing and inspired, but it’s definitely made it’s way into my many playlists.
“They’re more ‘dream pop’ than their last album, which was more rock,” Sophie Parker told me when I asked her to comment on the new album. She, like myself, is a big fan of Alvvays and has been anticipating this release. “The lyrics seem a little more existential than before, like in “Dreams Tonite.” I think that they put meaning in some really mundane conversations and situations that we all face in life. Like how “Archie, Marry Me” (a song from the first album) sort of talks about a part of relationships that we all experience, where one person wants something more than the other. Alvvays talks about things that other artists maybe wouldn’t feel compelled enough to write about.”
From what I’ve seen so far, this album has already impacted a great number of people, and with this review, I hope even more of you will make memories, find yourself, and fall in and out of love to these songs. Click here to listen to the album on Spotify, and don’t forget to tell us what you think.