Circa Waves
What's It Like Over There?

Four years ago, the expectations for Circa Waves were quite different.

Touted by many as the (yet another) next big thing in British rock, the Liverpool quartet rode a wave of endorsements from the usual NME (they were part of the NME Awards Tour in March 2014 alongside names like Interpol and Royal Blood), airtime from Zane Lowe, and openings for the then-already popular The 1975, as well as an impressive series of appearances at various festivals around the world.

The debut album in 2015 shot them straight into the top ten (driven by the single “T-Shirt Weather”), but from there on, something stalled and with the second album, the expected results did not materialize; the audience didn’t embrace the new darker and less carefree sound, and Virgin dropped the band. So, we arrive at today, with a third effort (“What’s It Like Over There?”) that feels like a last chance, at least at certain levels, for Kieran Shudall and company.

Released through the label Prolifica (EMI/Chrysalis) and produced by a heavyweight like Alan Moulder, the new work recaptures a certain lightheartedness and sounds fresher compared to its predecessor; there’s almost no trace of the straightforward indie of their early days (the sole exception being the excellent single “Movies,” a truly effective Britpop bomb), but the four opt for a more organic and less essential sound.

In some tracks, we might find a bit too much “unnecessary fat” (see the redundant refrain of “Be Somebody Good”) or an excessive tendency to revisit what was already successfully done by the Arctic Monkeys six years ago with the sensational “AM” (“Me, Myself And Hollywood,” “Times Won’t Change Me”), but when Circa Waves fully rely on their melodic talent, they once again become convincing (the Beatles-like delight “Passport,” between Travis and Keane).

Also, “Motorcade” is a very pleasant synth-pop track (Moulder's touch is very evident here), and it sets the stage for the splendid closing with “Saviour,” which with its bombastic arrangement manages to surprise and hit like a sledgehammer.

Circa Waves try again and present an album that doesn’t shout masterpiece but convinces and nearly puts them back on track.

Best track: Saviour