PVRIS - EVERGREEN
It goes without saying that PVRIS are not the same band they were ten years ago. In fact, it’s actually been revealed that it was Lyndsey Gunnulfsen - better known by her stage name Lynn Gunn - all along. Blending atmospheric, electronic textures with dark, alternative rock, the multi-instrumentalist, who made waves with 2014’s White Noise, has evolved from a post-hardcore favourite to a pop-savvy international headliner within a decade. Now, their sound is one that has matured into an urgent, melodic hybrid of beat-driven synth rock, something that comes to light in their empowering fourth record EVERGREEN.
Described as a “reclamation of control” in a “post-pandemic culture, posing a complex discussion on fame, technology, spectacle, and female autonomy,” EVERGREEN is a fast-paced, urgent record that favours harder sounds. It practically demands your attention.
Opening with pure determination, ‘I DON’T WANNA DO THIS ANYMORE’ gives the audience a glimpse of the overarching energy within this body of work. Filled with soaring synths and instrumental fusions galore, the demanding track plunges you straight into the band’s eclectic, somewhat new, sound, and follows Gunn as she tackles the thoughts in her brain.
Exercising a similar level of determination, PVRIS’ new and improved stylings continue across tracks such as ‘GOOD ENEMY’ and ‘GODDESS’ - two tracks that showcase Gunn’s masterful songwriting skills and are sure to get the audience’s blood pumping. The jumpy ‘GOOD ENEMY’, which sees Gunn continuing the fight against herself and her own personal demons, flaunts a groovy driving bassline and jaunty guitar whereas the anthemic ‘GODDESS’, a track that is filled with dance-like, fuzzy guitar tones, is elevated by Gunn’s versatile and dynamic vocal range that also see her deliver the iconic one-liner “I’m a motherfucking brand!”
Though PVRIS have ventured further into the realm of pop music, elsewhere, their former alt-rock days are brought back to life through tracks ‘HYPE ZOMBIES’ and ‘ANIMAL’. Delivering a raw, gritty attitude, ‘HYPE ZOMBIES’ features a vocal flow reminiscent of Halsey whereas ‘ANIMAL’, a track ridiculed with a defiant, somewhat destructive, energy, allures the audience with its all-consuming nature. “I’m not somethin’ you can tame that easy,” Gunn projects, fuelling that fire from the get-go. “You don’t know shit about the pain I’m feelin’”.
Creating an experience that extends beyond the audience’s headphones, EVERGREEN cultivates the kind of intensity that headliner slots call for; it’s with such confidence, no matter the situation at hand, that PVRIS have created a body of work that’s a testament to Gunn’s talent. In pushing boundaries, exploring new sonic territories, and refusing to take the easy way out by reverting to what they once knew, EVERGREEN beautifully showcases how Gunn belongs at the top. Her unwavering confidence, combined with the former, has transformed PVRIS into something refreshing at the perfect time and it’s something you don’t want to miss.
Shannon Garner
★★★★☆