Pale Waves: Unwanted

This band have come a long way since their debut album My Mind Makes Noises was released in 2018. It would appear that although the years that followed that were tricky for us all this band used their lockdown time to hone their craft and really elevate their sound. This is the quintessential break up/fuck-you-to-your-ex record that we all need at some point in our lives! Tracks such as ‘You’re So Vain’, ‘Lies’ and ‘So Sick (Of Missing You)’ are all so relatable whilst being incredibly personal, raw and honest at the same time. I may be twice the age of a teenager these days but I still felt the same angst, longing and heartache that pangs so immediate with first loves and loves lost and I think this album encapsulates that epoch in time so perfectly.

As I mentioned from the get-go; this album shows real growth and development from previous records- don’t get me wrong the first two albums were played on repeat at my house and I think they’re great- but there is something just more polished and professional about the sound this time around. I’m getting an Avril Lavigne vibe of catchy punk rock chick that we all know and love merged with the song writing honesty and sweetness of Taylor Swift (‘Haters Gonna Hate’)but I fucking love me a bit of Swifty so this is a compliment!) but rounded into the edgy slight left of mainstream that Pale Waves are known and loved for.

As a whole album is flows really well with plenty of catchy, fast-paced bangers; (my favourite of those being the title track “Unwanted” as it definitely touched a nerve for me) balanced out with some more ballad-esque sounds like “Without You”. Unfortunately. Pales Waves won’t be visiting Norwich (they must not have got the memo that it’s the Finest City of them all!) but they will be playing Reading and Leeds festival this month as part of their up-and-coming tour so keep your eyes and ears peeled for what this exciting group have in store!