THE BEACHES - BLAME MY EX
Canadian rock four-piece The Beaches released their long-awaited second studio album - Blame My Ex - after being on the scene for almost a decade. The angst-driven rockers - lead by sisters Jordan and Kylie Miller, alongside their closest friends Leandra Earl and Eliza Enman-McDaniel - encapsulate the feelings of breakups, finding themselves, and making new connections into one seamless record - allowing audiences to embrace their inner grunge aesthetic and rocker.
The album opens with ‘Blame Brett’, a badass anthem echoing with Jordan’s specific vocal tone as she sings “sorry in advance / I’m only gonna treat you bad.” The perky guitar riff mixed with the catchy chorus starts the record on a high - they sing about the reasons why they cannot be in a committed relationship due to the actions of their exes. While jokingly making fun of herself, Jordan lists ways her ex has made it difficult to form a stable relationship with someone again. The blissful self-awareness of her faults provides The Beaches with a song that uplifts flaws while grieving about the trauma left by an ex.
‘Me & Me’ provides quirky energy to the record as the self-love song starts slow and builds in pace as the singing pace intensifies. Jordan sings: “Hanging with me and me” accompanied by a bedroom pop synth-inspired guitar riff and drum pattern.
The Beaches - notorious for wordplay and quirky titles - embody this trend in ‘Everything is Boring’. The band echo the mundaneness of life most of us experience day-to-day; they desire some thrill. The touches of humour and play on classic nursery rhymes are utilised within the chorus. “It’s raining, it’s pouring,” they sing. “Everything is boring.” The repetitiveness of life becomes embodied within this lyric. Life is bleak as there seems to be no room for excitement or drama - a relatable concept for most.
Being the only collaboration on the record - with American pop-rock band Beach Weather - ‘My Body ft Your Lips’ manifests as the boldest, lyrically. “I wanna be your bitch / I wanna taste your spit” stands out as a noticeable lyric in the song as it seems to be a pivotal bold and daring point for the band. Intertwined with a dark grunge element, the vocalists' voices merge seamlessly, producing a sensual song about yearning and desire.
A stand-out and career-defining track on Blame My Ex is ‘Kismet’. The pop-rock-driven song is interlaced with carefree lyrics and a jaunty yet dance guitar riff. The playful chorus of “so kiss me, mwah” uplifts the album tone from songs about breakups to a danceable anthem, worthy of being danced freely to in your bedroom.
‘If a Tree Falls’ is the only slow moment on the record - a vulnerable moment also. It finds the band tugging at the audience’s heartstrings through its raw and honest lyrical content. “If I don’t look I don’t have to feel it,” they sing. This song proves that the band can be raw and vulnerable when needed, showcasing that they’re not an entirely pop-rock and grunge band that pokes fun at life’s experiences.
Closing the album on a high note is ‘Cigarette’, a track that explores the lust and desire to be with someone. Providing a full circle moment from the start of the record - where ‘Blame Brett’ discusses how they could not get into a relationship due to past trauma - ‘Cigarette’ explores wanting someone to be theirs desperately. The fun pop-rock closer - “I wanna kiss your lips / For the hell of it” - marks a fun and carefree notion with no previous relationship trauma attached; that idea of healing is present within the entirety of the track.
Blame My Ex is a fun record - exploring the notion of healing and self-discovery whilst also enjoying yourself and being able to poke fun at yourself at the same time. The group cements themselves within pop-rock noticeability with this record as their talent shines through wholly and individually within each track. The excitement felt listening to this record will entirely manifest into a wider recognition for the Canadian rock quartet.
Amber Nielsen
★★★★