The Heartbreaks - We May Yet Stand A Chance

Yet, although their first album channelled the jangle-pop nostalgia of James with the guitar lines of The Smiths, their second album ‘We May Yet Stand A Chance’ has flipped that on its head. It’s injected with a more brooding tone akin to the latter; and is imbued with a more thoughtful and orchestral sound. Even from the start this transition is clear, with opener ‘Paint The Tone Beige’ detonating into an Elbow-sized chorus of snaking electric guitar and thumping drums.

Rather unnervingly, though, the pensive storminess of the first track is instantly superseded by the dulcet-pop of ‘Absolved’; a Cheshire-cat magnesium-white beam of sugary harmonies and euphoric choruses, and a welcome hark back to the glimmering pop of their debut . The same can be said for ‘Hey, Hey Lover’; a slab of guitar-pop so catchy and hooky in its seaside romance that it’s the equivalent of a fisherman having a good well-up while blubbing through an ode to a just-caught salmon.

But apart from those two tracks, the rest of the album mainly channels a new injection of cinematic strings, more nuanced arrangements and Mediterranean-inspired panache. ‘This Is Not Entertainment’ interweaves intricate Spanish-guitar licks and more mature pop sensibilities, while ‘!No Pasaran!’ blends exotic brass licks with a backdrop of strings and castanets flicking and clicking with passion. There are certainly some stand-out successes from the quartet’s experimentation. ‘Robert Jordan’ bubbles with a tango-inspired stop-start suspense and frontman Matthew Whitehouse’s spiralling vocals, while ‘Rome’ is a spot-on marriage of their pop foundations with their newer, more passionate instrumentation.

At the same time, though, there is a nagging desire for a fair bit more of the zesty zeal and intelligence that ran throughout the whole of their debut album like a river of citric acid. Tracks such as ‘Bittersweet’ and ‘Dying Sun’ are certainly more developed in their pop moments, but lack the overriding sense of fun that defined the bouncy and infectious nature of their sound, as well as the peppering of odes to seaside Britain. It’s undoubtedly difficult to criticise the development and innovation that The Heartbreaks have shown on their second album; but perhaps a slight return back to the heart of their sound will catch us hook, line, and sinker.

Tags: The Heartbreaks, Reviews, Album Reviews