Wavves - Hideaway

Over the course of seven records, Nathan Williams’ Wavves, currently rounded out by bassist Stephen Pope and guitarist Alex Gates, have veered from fuzzy punk (2007 self-titled debut) to Nirvana-inspired grunge (2012’s ‘Afraid of Heights’) and indie-psych (2017’s ‘You’re Welcome’), with divergent results. Teaming up with TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek for production this time around, Wavves have created their most varied collection so far. Written in his parents’ shed, an old creative stomping ground, ‘Hideaway’ sees Nathan feeding on a well of influences. Scuzzy jolts of malaise and frustration remain (‘Thru Hell’ and ‘Planting a Garden’), but he also does a remarkable job incorporating country (‘The Blame’) and sparse psych (‘Sinking Feeling’). ‘Hideaway’’s ranging styles are mirrored in what are Nathan’s most interesting lyrics yet, his intensified self-reflection at times hopeless, as on the sultry ‘Honeycombe’, and others proactive and hopeful, most implicitly on ‘Help Is On The Way’. The standout though is undoubtedly the title track, a dense, sleazy tune. Framed by the protagonist’s paranoia and wish to escape, it both bears the hallmarks of the band’s previous output and nods to the more introspective state they’re currently occupying.