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Spanish Love Songs

No Joy

Written by: PP on 21/11/2023 23:55:01

Spanish Love Songs have enjoyed a meteoric rise to the forefront of the emo/pop punk scene on the back of two instant genre-classics in "Schmaltz" and its follow-up "Brave Faces Everyone". The former was a near-perfect capture of raw emotion through the vulnerable delivery of Dylan Slocum, drenched in explosive quiet/loud dynamics that had people jumping on pillars to scream along when the band played Groezrock after its release. The latter was a more polished version of the same but largely continued to rely on Scolum's relatable sincerity and earnest, strained vocals as its main draw, so it was equally loved by the band's fanbase.

You've gotta strike while the iron is hot, or so they say at least. "No Joy" is their fourth album, which is stacked up front with great songs to convince you Spanish Love Songs are still at the top of their game. "Lifers" is a great opener to reassure old fans the band hasn't changed much, if at all on this record. Likewise, the huge chorus of "Pendulum" is pure ear candy, and the anthemic "Clean-Up-Crew" is SLS at its best. It has great lyrics and a monumentally catchy chorus, what more do you need?

A song like "Haunted", however, is very polished and feels a tad overproduced in the same way as Gaslight Anthem's material always did starting from "American Slang". And the more you listen to the second half of the record, which is regrettably mostly filler, it certainly appears the band is going the way of The Menzingers. There are serious signs of their sound mellowing and losing the raw sincerity that made it so popular in the first place. It's a way to broaden their appeal in the mainstream, but it comes at a cost where the delivery no longer feels as passionate and spirited as it did before.

"Middle Of Nine" is one such example. It's almost like Spanish Love Songs on autopilot, droning along without scraping your heart along with it, which was the case on every single song on the previous two albums. "Marvel" is catchy and upbeat - but its programmed handclaps and brooding electronics aren't my cup of tea.

Though there's plenty of emotional charge - a feature guaranteed by Slocum's angsty style - the connection feels less strong. Songs like "I'm Gonna Miss Everything" are drenched in production gimmicks and thus mask the earnest passion and sincerity the band is otherwise renowned for. Fortunately, the lyrical introspection in "Rapture Chaser" breaks through the polish and lands a fantastic chorus as a highlight of the latter part of the record.

The balladic "Mutable" feels generic and introduces yet more electronics. "Here You Are" continues with its dime-a-dozen acoustic guitar/electric guitar combo and more melancholic lyrics, as well as plenty of pedal effects on the guitar. The minimalist and ambient "Exit Bags" is as forgettable as it is boring, and album closer "Re-Emerging Signs of The Apocalypse" again toys with way too many electronics, a leitmotif that keeps on giving (or in my case, taking) on this record.

I'm not sure it would have been wise for Spanish Love Songs to continue writing the same album for the third time, so I applaud their appetite for stylistic evolution. However, rather than exploring their raw emotions through a perhaps more explosive or piercing lens, they've opted for a softer and more mellow direction. It results in a decent album, but one that is a far cry from their best material.

Download: Clean-Up Crew, Pendulum, Lifers, Rapture Chasers
For the fans of: The Menzingers, Modern Baseball, Tigers Jaw
Listen: Facebook

Release date 25.08.2023
Pure Noise Records