It’s been just over five years since the Brooklyn power pop band Charly Bliss released their well-received sophomore full-length, Young Enough. In the same way Young Enough demonstrated a marked maturity over its predecessor, the group’s latest studio album, Forever, shows an even further evolution in terms of technique. The songs on the new record range from slick synthpop (“Tragic” and “Back There Now”) to mid-tempo mainstream pop (“Waiting for You” and “In Your Bed”) and even power balladry (“Nineteen” and “How Do You Do It?”).
While lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Eva Hendricks’ sweet and sincere (sprinkled with a pinch of rasp) voice is a good fit for the pop genre, one listen to Forever in its myriad styles gives the impression that Hendricks would be equally adept if she attempted to slide into country or R&B. Eva’s dynamic performance and the confidence she exudes on songs like the excellent “In Your Bed” and Forever’s peppy-yet-emotive “Waiting for You” help highlight the singer’s ability to push raw feelings into and through songs alternately about the ups and downs of a summer romance and love’s unrequited longing.
Charly Bliss have referred to their style as bubblegrunge, a term coined by the band for their unique blend of grunge and bubblegum pop. This portmanteau may be best exemplified during the dramatic “I’m Not Dead”, a slow builder that vacillates instrumentally between a stripped back, pulsing guitar and an exploding, catchy chorus. The only other moment on Forever that takes on the genre mashup is “I Don’t Know Anything”, a track that appears on the album’s second half and utilizes electropop elements during the verses and a heavy, guitar-driven wall of distortion during the chorus.
Forever’s lone acoustic ballad “Easy to Love You” is the album’s penultimate moment. Here, Hendricks manages to sound vulnerable, and almost frail, while still exuding emotional strength and a definite determination underneath it all. Charly Bliss’ third studio album is concluded with “Last First Kiss”, a beautifully produced ender that manages to nicely pull together many of the styles demonstrated on what came before and even throws in a saxophone solo that lasts just long enough so as to not overstay its welcome.
Everything about Forever screams summer record. That it’s being released at the end of the season is a bit of a shame. Still, the dozen tracks that make up the album are easy to enjoy on repeat listens, and fans of the band may very well be streaming these songs every year until the group’s next release. Forever is a solid collection of new material and a high-water mark for Charly Bliss in terms of songwriting and production.
Rating: 8.5/10
