Chvrches - Screen Violence

 

"Screen Violence" is the 4th album by synth pop megastars from Glasgow, Scotland - Chvrches.  This is the follow up to 2018's "Love is Dead".  It should be noted that in between albums in March 2019, they also released a track with Marshmello called "Here with me" which is their most streamed song on Spotify by far with 509 million streams at time of writing.  They also released a song "Death Stranding" for "Death Stranding: timefall" soundtrack for a video game.

The first single to be taken off the album was "He said She said" which must be the most Chvrches sounding track they have ever done.  If you were to play this song to someone it would act as a good beginners guide as to what Chvrches are all about.  Straight up synth pop at his finest with a chorus going "I feel like I'm losing am losing my mind" which is a lyric which seems so obvious for the band to do and I have no idea why this has taken 4 albums for it to appear on.

The second single "How not to drown" features Robert Smith of the Cure. Although I am not a fan of the Cure, on this occasion Smith compliments Maybury's voice well as they alternate versus.  It's always interesting as well to get singers come in, in a genre which isn't the one they are known for with in this instance The Cure.  So, a decent track.

The 3rd single was "Good girls" which is another catchy, solid track.  I don't think there are any songs on the album which reach the peak of "Mother we share" or "Clearest Blue".  But while there is not any standout tracks, I wouldn't say there are any weak tracks either.  This is a solid album and I think they would have had a hard time choosing singles as it's one of those albums where it doesn't really feel there are any album tracks, and any could have been released. At the same time the song with Robert Smith was probably an obvious one to hopefully pull in some Cure fans.

Some might say it's just another Chvrches album and they would be right to an extent.  They are doing what they are good at and really there aren't any artists out their doing what they do, as good as they do now. What's the point in going into other flooded genres when you are so good at the one, you're in.  In saying that the drumming is more prominent on this record and some guitars too and even noticed a piano in a track.  But even though they are doing this, they still have that core Chvrches sound. Just as I like it.