When I find new bands online who have a really fantastic first song I tend to be more cautious with my excitement than I used to, because usually the follow up songs tend to disappoint. When I first heard ‘Lies’ and ‘The Mother We Share’ in December, I was quite blown away by the melodies, the quiet presence of their live performance, just everything was perfection. But I was still cautious even as I had the gut feeling these three had the goods for long term stability as there was just something really special in how easy it all seemed to come for them. Then came ‘Recover’ – brilliant. And then came ‘Gun‘ – just absolute perfection. How does one even describe it without sounding like a complete jack ass? If a pop song can be hard hitting – this was it. And to hear the singer convey this emotion of being so madly passionate about someone, but at the same time – as much as it may pain her – being able to go after them with all they have for whatever harm they had done, it’s remarkable to me considering the voice on singer Lauren Mayberry how effective it all is. A sweet voice (almost Cranes like at certain moments), but with this undercurrent in her delivery that conveys you do NOT want to mess with this person. This is exactly what pop music should be – this combination of dark, bitter lyrics with these bright beats and insanely infectious melodies that can soundtrack any season of the year – I’m pretty sure you have to be completely soulless to not feel – in the very least – some of their songs. But that song sealed it for me – Chvrches was no joke – and thus the long wait for the full debut album, and when it was finally released it did not disappoint. Even with four of the songs having already been released as singles and having seen them twice in concert – the full album was a breath of fresh air. You can tell there was a good reason why they didn’t rush to capitalize quickly on their building popularity. They took their time to get it right – and with the appreciation they have spoken of in the press for the album format that is sadly dying still to some extent – it’s all evident in this final product – including it’s concise 48 minute running time (not too little, not too much, just perfect). Every song could be a single. Each catchier than the next – even the bonus tracks on the “deluxe version” are begging for their own showcase. Most of the critical reaction has been full of praise, almost hard to find even a mediocre review, but the few that haven’t been keen on it seem to think it’s pure pop rubbish. For me it IS pure pop music, but pop music for people who want their pop music to have a lot more substance that what the big labels offer with their Katy Perrys and Miley Cyruses of the world. If you can appreciate a trashy pop song once in awhile (I will even say Ms Perry’s first single ‘Roar’ off her new 2013 album is fantastic), will find a lot to appreciate and love with Chvrches. Not just appreciate but fall in love with. I understand people having musical differences, we all have differing tastes, but these songs are so well written, so well executed, performed with such passion and filled with so much melody that covers a broad spectrum of emotion, that I feel quite strongly that one would have to be a deeply cynical person if even just one of these songs don’t touch them strongly in some very positive way. What does it sound like? They’ve said influences include Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ to The Cure’s ‘Plainsong’, and if that’s the case then that quite aptly describes the album. For me, I’d say they’re the sound of the most saccharine and neon-drenched pop songs wrapped in the darkest, blackest cotton candy. How’s that for being a jack ass?