Album Review: The Beaches - ‘Blame My Ex’
The Beaches have been together for more than a decade but still manage to surprise, with their pop-rock infused album ‘Blame My Ex’.
From the ever cheeky tongue in cheek album title, we know straight away this band is about to deliver an album that makes us all feel a little bit naughty.
Opening with the hit single ‘Blame Brett’, lead singer Jordan Miller sings “sorry in advance, I’m only gonna treat you bad, I’m probably gonna let you down, I’m probably gonna sleep around”. She uses the lyrics to poke fun at herself and thus lets the listener embrace their flaws and convert them into some fun too.
The song continues on with its upbeat, jump around riffs, disguising some of the more deeply personal lyrics such as “I’m not ready for therapy, to take accountability”. Thenature of this statement contrasts the energetic, blissful ignorance the beat creates. Culminating in a song that uplifts and embraces every scar, flaw and grievance left behind from an ex.
Following on from their smash hit comes ‘What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Paranoid’. The Beaches make their presence know on the rock scene with this track. Featuring a guitar heavy chorus, rhythmic drums and grungy vocals.
Taking their own spin on the well known saying “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, creating a song that expresses their feelings after a breakup. The anxiety that follows you around and clings to you constantly.
Racing into the next track ‘Me & Me’ with the quirky opening line “I know a girl who spent a year and a half crying in the bottom of a bathtub, it was really such a bad look”. Thesong embraces being single and self love. The song expresses a feeling of contentment and peace in life from the band. A statement of we are who we are, and we’re proud of that.
The next two songs take on a more old school rock vibe. ‘Everything is Boring’ takes hit at life for lacking excitement and expresses emotions of desire for drama and life in thefast line. The Beaches show their humour in the lyrics too with the line “It’s raining its pouring everything is boring”. Whilst ‘My Body Ft Your Lips’ (with Beach Weather), is exactly what it says on the tin featuring risqué lyrics, such as: “I wanna be your bitch, I wanna taste your spit” and “I watch you in the shower playing show and tell”. The song itself has a laidback yet dark and grungy vibe, perfectly matching up to the bold lyrics.
‘Kismet’ is my personal favourite song on the album. With playful, flirty lyrics, “No Bumble just organically what is this 1993”. It’s upbeat and catchy, a song I can only describe as a classic rom-com blockbuster soundtrack.
The album continues its transition from break up songs to songs about going out and enjoying life with a song title that’s quirky in itself ‘Shower Beer’. Pop inspired guitars with rock influenced drums, The Beaches embrace the chaos and have fun with it. ‘Edge of The Earth’ boasts one of the most catchy choruses with reminders of early 2000s pop rock.
The first slow moment of the album comes from ‘If A Tree Falls’, but gradually picks up to reveal their most vulnerable song on this album. The lyrics tell the story of a girl getting lost in the hurt, “wish I could remember the girl that I adore”. The Beaches show they can use lyricism to tug at the heart strings, with Miller singing “I learned from thebest how to play pretend” and “If I don’t look I don’t have to feel it”. ‘If A Tree Falls’ may be their sad song of the album, but it is sure to be a fan favourite because of thevulnerability, relatability and connections made through the raw honest lyrics.
Last but not least, ‘Blame My Ex’ by The Beaches closes out with ‘Cigarette’. A song that takes the album full circle. Starting with; all out breakup songs, then vibrant, full of life songs about going out and having fun, following on with songs about trying to rediscover yourself. Whilst ‘Cigarette’ brings in a new potential partner and signifies all the past hurt is now healed and just another story to tell. A perfect way to close out this album.
The Beaches ‘Blame My Ex’ is a jump around catchy album, that brings excitement along with it. The album takes us listeners on a journey of the healing process from a breakup. The Beaches take us through the highs and the lows and the inevitable moving on. The band of four have cemented their place in todays rock and roll scene, creating tunes that have a wide demographic appeal and its an album bound to get people excited about this talented band.
Words by Anna Street
