After dropping their dynamite debut Guppy in 2017, followed by a more slicked back sounding sophomore effort Young Enough in 2019, American/Australian quartet Charly Bliss now present Forever, their first full-length album in five years.
Working together remotely on the record in the midst of the pandemic, steadfast friends Dan Shure (bass), Spencer Fox (lead guitar), and Hendricks siblings Eva (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and Sam (drums) had but one word in mind when it came to the feeling they wanted to convey with Forever: fun. And while it seems like they have achieved this atmosphere to an extent, some of the songs come across as a little too saccharine and surface level for their own good.
The first three singles released from the album have gained somewhat of a mixed reaction from fans, as the band drift further away from the fast n’ fuzzy sound that initially cemented them in indie circles. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing per se – all artists grow and evolve – it feels as if continuing their move from rock to pop sensibilities is likely to get them somewhat lost in the ether.
We dive straight into sugary synths and autotuned vocals as lead track ‘Tragic’ takes its course, before a more robust riff pokes through. ‘Calling You Out’ soars as high as a kite, and while a little stale lyrically, will serve as perfect festival fodder. Sing along fourth single ‘Back There Now’ blends beep bops and rock to bake up a much fuller sound, proving the path the band set out on does have its merits.
Hazy number ‘Nineteen’ tries to tip toe a fine line between ballad and banger, but has just a little too much going on to come across sincerely. Thankfully ‘In Your Bed’ winds it back a notch, embellishing acoustic with snatches of ‘In The Air Tonight’ drums.
‘I’m Not Dead’s’ grungy guitar heeds back to the Guppy days, and feels somewhat of a return to form. However the effect soaked ‘How Do You Do It’ is somewhat of a tooth ache, proving we are not past the poppier side of things.
“As 90’s rock revivalists we’re just too late!” – just one example of the self aware slander that sits amongst the emo atmosphere of ‘I Don’t Know Anything’. In a world of constant criticism, both from society and from within ourselves, it’s hard not to feel for the band with all the effort they’ve put into maintaining their image. “My face and my hair and my voice is all wrong” laments Eva, bearer of the heaviest of these weights. “If I was smart I’d be further along”.
‘Here Comes The Darkness’ is a gothic nightmare that I was desperate to wake up from, with a key change towards the end only adding to the cringe. But all is not lost, as ‘Waiting For You’ presents another glance at guitar driven greatness, wrapped up in an awe-struck ode from Eva to her bandmates.
Artful acoustic track ‘Easy To Love You’ is quite the left turn, but a very much appreciated one, and proves the band can, in fact, escape the shackles of their assigned genre. Alas, finale ‘Last First Kiss’ sees them sprinkle on a little too much cheese; a shame when they have proved that they are more than capable of cooking up the kind of sincerity that would have better rounded out the album.
All in all, Forever is a mixed bag of lollies. It’s undoubtedly a good thing that Charly Bliss feel they can stretch their wings and further experiment with their sound, but they may need a little more time to find their feet before hitting that all important sweet spot.
‘Forever’ is out 16th August via Lucky Number.
