Wavves – Afraid of Heights
Review by Morgan Waldorf
I wasn’t familiar with Wavves until pretty recently so I was very excited for the release of their latest album Afraid of Heights. Wavves is a band that has gotten a lot of hype surrounding their California pop-punk sound and this release continues in that same vein of sound. It’s the exact lo-fi surfer punk one would expect without much new influence or experimentation, for better or for worse.
As a newer fan of the old releases I think this record is a great addition to the Wavves collection but upon first listen I found many of the tracks blending together because they are so similar. For some people I would imagine this would be enough to turn them off. However I think it sets a mood and is a great record to put on from start to finish.
Right off the bat the second track “Demon To Lean On” stands out as a catchy melody driven tune. I’ve already heard it on college radio and the band recently played it on the David Letterman show. It definitely feels like a single and is probably the song on the record that will get stuck in your head most.
“Dog” is perhaps my favorite track on the record. It’s a slowed down track with a repeated chorus of the words “still I’ll be your dog” and it reminds me of the song “I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl” from the band’s 2011 release Life Sux in it’s repeated, catchy simplicity.
The most adventurous song on the record is “Cop” which really isn’t all that adventurous. It’s a very short song that’s more upbeat and happy sounding than the rest of the album. Coming in as the eighth track of the fourteen it’s sort of a quick intermission before the rest of the record continues in the same fashion as it started.
Other songs that stood out to me after only a few listens were the title track “Afraid of Heights” and opening track “Sail To The Sun” which leads smoothly into the next track and the rest of the record. Other than that the rest of the tracks are rather uniform and forgettable.
This release may be a deal-breaker for many familiar with past Wavves releases. For those expecting something fresh and experimental this probably isn’t it. However if you’re in need of more Nirvana and Weezer inspired beach tunes this is an excellent record for you.
Overall Rating: 3/5
Recommended Tracks: “Demon To Lean On” and “Dog”
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