This isn’t a scientific test, but if “Out of the Woods” was your favorite song off Taylor Swift’s “1989,” Chvrches is probably right up your alley. Swift and her co-writer, Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff, obviously took cues from the Scottish trio, which further popularized the ’80s-inspired synth-pop revival with its soaring 2013 debut “The Bones of What You Believe.” Now, Chvrches seems to be taking cues from Swift and Bleachers—where its first record was relatively restrained and intimate, its sophomore album “Every Open Eye” is made for the largest stadiums, the loudest speakers and the most fans possible.
Though its 11 songs do sound larger than life, they’re a pretty mixed bag. Of course, I might not be the best messenger for this. Unlike the majority of critics, I found the group’s first album to be a bit of a bore. While some singles were great (“Recover,” “The Mother We Share”) and frontwoman Lauren Mayberry’s spritely and unpolished voice made for a fascinating juxtaposition against the brash, trance-inspired arrangements, much of it felt one-note and lifeless.
Even as it casts as wide a net as possible, appealing to original fans and trying to catch as many newcomers as possible, “Every Open Eye” doesn’t do much for me either. On “Make Them Gold,” Chvrches’ most cloying anthem to date, Mayberry sounds like a camp counselor with pep-rally lines like, “We are falling but not alone/We will take the best parts of ourselves/And make them gold.” It’s a fine dose of optimism, but with synths veering perilously close to an Erasure song, it ends up feeling so saccharine you can imagine a cheesy, battle-march-themed music video.
Sometimes the grand ambitions work, however, like on “Clearest Blue,” its euphoric climax being the closest moment the album comes to actual catharsis. “Keep You On My Side” boasts fluttering synths that launch into one of the most memorable choruses in the collection. Elsewhere, though, little lands. With pre-programmed drums and keyboards maintaining a too-unified vibe, the songs feel interchangeable (“Leave a Trace,” “Bury It”), with only closer “Afterglow” offering a slightly slower reprieve from the sugar rush.
Despite the fact that Mayberry isn’t the most technically skilled vocalist, she more than makes up for it in charisma—something that’s clearly missed during her bandmate Martin Doherty’s shaky and malleable turn on “High Enough to Carry You Over.” While Mayberry’s eccentric vocal tics make cuts like “Never Ending Circles” fly, and her fearless work to battle online sexism is necessary, a band needs more than a great leader.
2 stars (out of four)
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In concert: Oct. 24 at Metro
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