Boy Harsher - Careful

6.5

Where darkwave duo Boy Harsher sounded risky, edgy and pulsatingly menacing, on Careful they feel pensive, restrained and suffocated in their own derivative song structures. Rare glimpses of greatness cannot lift it up afloat, though.

Highlights

- Synth inter and intra plays are still something to get marvelled at.

- When it pulls out, it truly delivers dancy, spookily grand tracks.

- There's a sense of cohesion holding the record together.

Lowlights

- Some tracks are completely unnecessary and underdeveloped.

- All the elements that made them special in the first place are there, except for the energy.

Standouts

- LA

- Fate

- Come Closer

Country: USA

Released: February 1, 2019

Length: 43:05

The Twilight Sad - It Won/t Be Like This All the Time

8.0

The Scottish band's fifth record seems like their most acutely mature and sonically stated, packaging eleven thick songs that let each member's precise job flourish, indulge and renegate. Enough proof that they still have a lot to say 13 years in.

Highlights

- The extreme coherence makes it difficult to differenciate tracks, and they all still have particular charms.

- James Graham's voice sounds equally as engrossing and aching as ever before.

- Dreary lyrics continue to overflow, but more upbeat rhythms do serve the album a better purpose.

Lowlights

- Though all the tracks fulfill a certain job, some are more forgettable than others.

- The drums and guitar interplays could have had more diversity.

Standouts

- I/m Not Here [Missing Face]

- Shooting Dennis Hopper Shooting

- The Arbor

Country: UK

Released: January 18, 2019

Length: 46:42