With plenty of time to experiment and two members of The 1975 assisting with production, Pale Waves’ debut album My Mind Makes Noises is a delightful record, infused with retro instrumentation and feelings of youth, naivety, and growing up.
The album’s bouncing opener ‘Eighteen’, with its youthful lyrics and infectiously catchy chorus, feels transportive in the best way. There’s a nostalgic feeling here, which is present throughout the album’s 50-minute run time. This appears in spades on ‘There’s A Honey,’ which has been given a studio update. With a main guitar riff you won’t be forgetting anytime soon, the song is a perfect retro dedication to an unrequited crush.
The 1975’s influence is clear throughout. Songs like ‘Came In Close’ and ‘Kiss’ evoke a similar form of bubblegum-pop from the ‘80s that The 1975 were heavily inspired by on their most recent album. Instrumentally, the two bands may share ideas, but Pale Waves take the synths, lavish guitars, and hard-hitting snares into their own, especially on ‘Loveless Girl.’
Pale Waves perfectly simulate a great period in modern music. It’d be hard to put on the album and not crack a smile because of how fun and nostalgic each track sounds.
7.5
