In Rolling Waves Album Review

“There’s nothing left in this place but a reason to leave”, and “it’s a hell of a long way to fall just to learn to get up” are lyrics from one of the best song’s I’ve heard this year. The song is called The Mess and the band of course, The Naked and Famous. Their second album In Rolling Waves has just been released and contains the same electronic synths and guitar rock that made them famous with their debut LP Passive You, Aggressive Me. Like their debut, the sound is neither light nor dark, choosing rather to fall stylishly in the middle – it’s emotional and it works.

Building on the success of songs like Young Blood, TNAF spin an epic swirl of heavy synth-pop and rock hooks in a more cohesive and subtle way with In Rolling Waves. 

The lead off track, A Stillness which almost sounds like a new grungy/country sort of fusion creates a majestic start. Hearts Like Ours which matches TNAF previous big ambitions of Young blood and is comparably as good. The Mess it’s a duet between vocalists Alisa Xayalith and Thom Powers who’s voices are so well suited and supportive of one another in all their emo-synth brilliance that this track is a potential hit; it tugs at heartstrings in a romantically earnest role play, all with a humanistic quality.

The title track, Rolling Waves, and Waltz are both lyrical gems but some of the later tracks with more slow-moving tempos, are elongated song with repetitive vocals. We Are Leaving is a haunting track that displays a timidity in Xayalith’s vocals, before bursting into frenzy of crackling synth. Followed by Move With Purpose in which Xayalith and Powers sing another duet worthy of acclaimed British groups like The XX.

All the songs on TNAF albums are written with the intention of being performed authentically live, the album never feels over produced – on the contrary it’s a thrilling, melodramatic ride through pop, electro and alternative rock that lives harmoniously. In Rolling Waves more than lives up to the promises of their first release. It possess an attitude of youthful revolution – a sentiment that emerges strongly and continues to strike the perfect balance from start to finish. Definitely worthy of multiple spins.