Album Review: Circa Waves – Different Creatures
- Circa Waves are taking no prisoners with their new album, Different Creatures
- The indie band have used the album to transition into a new rockier, darker sound
The Liverpool band's indie roots from their debut album Young Chasers is nearly unrecognisable in the new album but if you listen closely enough the familiar, memorable choruses are there, just with a heavier, rough around the edges, take on it.
For me, Young Chasers was Circa Waves testing the waters, introducing themselves with an album bursting with feel-good, upbeat, summer anthems like their hit, T-shirt Weather.
But you can tell that Different creatures has a deeper level of meaning to the band and they aren't scared to hold back, with raw and honest lyrics telling stories of love, the trials and tribulations of relationships, vulnerability and belonging in a society that feels alien to you.
Out On My Own addresses mental health issues within men, with lyrics such as "walking the steps of the man that you grew up with, but maybe they're better equipped at dealing with this." Kieran told BBC Newsbeat that he wrote the song after listening to male friends explain their mental health problems.
Mental health isn't the only issue the album speaks out about, with UK politics being another topic that is highlighted, title track Different Creatures, refers to the current Syrian refugee crisis, with the lyrics "and twenty thousand souls are sold tonight, making us their home."
Stripped back songs, Love's Run Out and Old Friends, are a light release from the intensity of the majority of the album with Love's Run Out taking an acoustic, mellow approach to the pursuit of infinite love.
Songs Fire That Burns and Stuck take me back to their debut album and reminds me why I loved the band in the first place.
They know how to make tracks that will have you bouncing up and down at a gig while spilling your vodka lemonade all over yourself and the person stood next to you, but that persons not fussed because they're lost in the music just like you and that's the magic of them tracks.
If you want to see the band live then you've not got long to wait, catch the band in Manchester this month as they embark on their UK tour which kicks off in Sheffield on the 18th of March. The band plays Manchester Academy the 23rd of March.
The band has also been announced to play Kendal Calling and Reading and Leeds Festival, just in case you'd prefer watching them with UV paint on your face.