CHVRCHES
Every Open Eye
VIRGIN/GLASSNOTE
6/10
Scottish synth-pop trio CHVRCHES broke through in a major way with their ’80s-indebted debut album, 2013’s The Bones of What You Believe. Earworm singles such as “The Mother We Share,” “Recover,” and “Gun” showcased frontwoman Lauren Mayberry’s melodic chops in a major way. CHVRCHES’ effervescent sophomore album, Every Open Eye, proves that the group still has a knack for finding just the right tone for their synthesizers, sampled drums, and stadium-ready choruses, even though they just missed the mark in reaching the same highs as their debut. Iain Cook (former Aereogramme member) and Martin Doherty (The Twilight Sad) shine even more than Mayberry on Every Open Eye as their instrumentations interlock with poppy electro-dance sounds that nick from Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Icona Pop. Sometimes it can sound hollow, but the dance pandering is a good look for the meteoric group. Don’t worry, CHVRCHES isn’t going anywhere.
