Album Review: Pale Waves, Unwanted

The good ship Pale Waves has had to sail through some choppy waters of late. They started off the decade involved in a near fatal road accident while on tour, and shortly afterwards their rise to the top of the indie-pop tree was stopped due to lockdown’s ban on live music.

Iron sharpens iron, however, and the Mancunian quartet have come back fighting with their third album. Ditching the keyboards and their ‘80s-pop indebted sound in favour of crunchy guitars and arena-rattling choruses, Unwanted is a noughties-era pop punk-inspired riot.

Unashamedly in the thrall of Paramore, their thrilling third album is something of a reaction to the isolation caused by the pandemic and a high energy, hook laden joy. Driven by an aim to make their new music louder and more honest and provocative, Unwanted is littered with future live favourites (‘Only Problem,’ ‘Reasons To Live’). There’s also a little Avril Lavigne (‘You’re So Vain’) and Celebrity Skin-era Hole in Unwanted’s DNA (‘Alone’), while power balled ‘Without You’ could be the key that may finally opens the door to mainstream success.

8/10

In the new issue of Hot Press – out now:

As they prepare to release their darkest, heaviest record yet, Pale Waves talk about internet bullies, small-town haters and what the UK can learn from Los Angeles when it comes to trans rights...