STAND ATLANTIC - PINK ELEPHANT
Stand Atlantic prove that they knew exactly who they wanted to be, and nailed it with Pink Elephant, out this Friday.
After taking the world by storm with the success of their 2018 debut album Skinny Dipping, Stand Atlantic have a lot to live up to with their sophomore album, Pink Elephant. With their typical sound and metaphorical lyrics, Stand Atlantic prove that they knew exactly who they wanted to be, and nailed it.
‘Like That’ welcomes you into the album with open arms, the repetitive lyrics (“it’s just like that”) allowing you to feel as though you already know the song before you’ve heard it more than once. The catchy chorus makes it easy to sing along to, and will be a definite crowd pleaser on their upcoming 2021 Australian and European tours.
Following on is second single ‘Shh!’, which gives a great taste of what’s to come with the rest of the album. Being full of their signature guitar riffs, consistent drums and vocalist Bonnie Fraser’s emotive vocals, it proves that Stand Atlantic know exactly what they want to sound like, and nail it in the process.
Showing that they’re not afraid to try something new, ‘Blurry’ mixes distorted guitar synths and a pop inspired riff to draw in new fans. With a chorus reminiscent of Emarosa’s ‘Cautious’, there’s no denying that this song is one of their strongest.
Stand Atlantic have always been fond of using metaphors to convey what they really mean within songs. Latest single ‘Jurassic Park’ is no exception to this. Hidden beneath the playful lyrics and pop punk riffs is the tale of someone’s struggling mental health, which can be so easily missed in everyday life just like the song.
‘Eviligo’ is another experiment for the Aussie band, the synths and pop inspired infectious hooks are paired beautifully with a heavier chorus, giving a great balance between the old sound that we’re used to and the new.
In a conversation with Kerrang!, Fraser explained that “Music is its own language and we wanted to challenge everything you thought you knew about Stand Atlantic.” ‘Wavelength’ did exactly this, providing the perfect buildup to the album and proving that it had the potential to be as great as it is. Strong vocal hooks paired with heavier guitar riffs allow you to envision just how great this song will hit live.
Though Stand Atlantic’s typical pop punk goodness is what we’re used to, they have certainly upped the bar with ‘Drink To Drown’, and the ode to feeling confused and overwhelmed does not disappoint. With a focus on a stripped back piano and Fraser’s clean heartfelt vocals at center stage, she allows herself to become completely vulnerable to listeners, which is something we’re used to, hidden behind fast-paced guitars and raw lyrics. By being stripped back completely, the song provides emotion just like the fireplace scene at the end of Call Me By Your Name. You know the one.
‘DWYW’ follows on from this, provides uplifting lyrics and catchy guitars, with a heavy use of vocal distortion. While it is a fun, upbeat pop punk track, it does feel much like a filler song, and doesn’t quite hit the mark like the rest of the album.
The disappointment is very much short lived as we’re thrown into the deep end of change with ‘Silk & Satin’, water droplets being a soothing sound that carries you through the rest of the song. Fraser spills her heart out over synthetic beats and a soft melody, telling the tale of being let down by someone close to you (“deciding what my worth is, say it like you mean it / or don’t at all”).
Throwing it back to early 2000s pop punk, ‘Soap’ is a feel-good song that draws you in from the get-go with electrifying guitars and a solid drum beat. Transitioning perfectly into the familiarity of ‘Hate Me (Sometimes)’, having been the first single from the album that was released last September. This provides a comforting and strong finish to the album with the typical sound that fans are so accustomed to.
Stand Atlantic have certainly challenged themselves with new sounds and elements that they have not yet experimented in, and is a great step up from already successful debut album Skinny Dipping. With songs that sound like they could have come straight off the b-side of their previous record, Pink Elephant proves that they know exactly where they want to go in the future, and that this is certainly their boldest and strongest record to date.
Emily Young
★★★★☆