Lime Garden are releasing their latest album, Maybe Not Tonight, this Friday. With this piece of work, the Brighton four-piece have locked eyes, strutted towards you and shown you how mighty they truly are. It pulls you in with a jaw-dropping tenacity.
What really stands out about the album is how meteorically good almost all of the songs are. They make you want to dance, rock and move. The highs are so high that there are certainly moments where the execution falters slightly, but this doesn’t take away from how impressive this record is.
Something to point out is the incredible choice of singles. The title track, ‘Maybe Not Tonight’, ‘23’ and ‘All Bad Parts’ really give you something to write home about. They signify this evolution in Lime Garden’s grandeur. A band that has always made boogieable music effortlessly has taken a step forward; they’ve added this coarse and rounded flavour to their sound. Guitars are bolder, and the way in which they inject electronic elements allows for everything to seamlessly fly.
The album stomps across indie rock and dance music so effortlessly. Drums and synths are regularly combined to allow a magical layer of disco groove to wrap itself around every song.
The way in which the percussion sections do this is through their depth and contrast. Heavier parts of the drum kit, particularly the bass drum, are then paired with tambourines, which adds a higher frequency and helps emphasise the rhythm section of each song.
The drums on this album are truly fantastic. They are used in such a versatile fashion. At times dense drum fills push the pace and energy, at others they are used delicately to add a kick to everything else. Annabel Whittle (the band’s drummer) is so in tune with what every song needs, whether it be letting vocals shine when they need to or letting a mighty bass drum punctuate and assist the angular sass that Howard’s vocals offer on songs like ‘Maybe Not Tonight’.
This record signifies a transition towards an increase in the use of synths and a more dance-focused sound from the band; however, the badass guitar music still sits at the centre. ‘Cross My Heart’ (the strongest song on the record aside from the singles) demonstrates this and reflects what has always made Lime Garden so special.
We have established what makes this record sound so euphoric, but something that adds such an intricate texture is Chloe Howard’s vocals. Something simply extraordinary happens when she gets her hands on a microphone. Vocal performances are so distinctive, the execution is so punchy, they stand so tall amongst every instrumental. She sustains notes so elegantly on songs like ‘Downtown Lover’ but maintains a blinding fierceness through her idiosyncratic cadence. It is so calculated, so deliberate, and so commanding.
Lyrically, the album matches the vocal performances, brash and confident. Often, a confrontation and declaration of boundaries. There is a real level of honesty within Howard’s words; ‘All Bad Parts’ and ‘Body’, for instance, are deeply personal accounts of self-reflection. The latter in particular feels vulnerable, and it feels kind. The lyrics pierce you and ignite the feelings you have or may have had towards yourself, your body, and that very intimate relationship.
What makes most songs on this album so outrageously good is how daring they are. Every element is delivered at 100%, and this generally works, but it sometimes slightly tips over into unwanted territory. A majority of the album’s songs feel incredibly cohesive, like an incredibly well-choreographed dance piece; however, the velocity of every element sometimes fails to weave and merge quite as seamlessly. ‘Undressed’ and ‘Do You Know What I’m Thinking’ vary in energy between sections, but often feel somewhat overwhelming; there isn’t the same delicate balance of sounds. These slight flaws are so tremendously overshadowed by how gigantic the band’s sound has become on this latest project.
An album that truly strikes a balance between the fury of guitar music and the bliss of dance music. Bass and guitars come face to face and deliberate with a real sense of glamour and boldness. The relentlessness and versatility of the drums help this record reach incredible heights. On top of this, Howard’s charisma and splendour shine so very brightly. This is a great album.
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