Indie-bop maestros Sea Girls have finally released their highly anticipated debut album Open Up Your Head. After a steady stream of teaser singles soundtracked the summer of isolation, we’re finally being treated to the missing pieces of the Sea Girls jigsaw puzzle.
Whilst the four piece are renowned for raucous live shows and anthemic singles, the completed jigsaw puzzle feels a little mish-mashed. It’s clear that Sea Girls are influenced by a wide variety of artists as the album seems to dart from ‘90’s pop rock to something akin to an early The 1975 single.
Shake This Feeling has a dark bassline that the Pixies would be proud of and is probably one of the best, unreleased songs from the album which will translate well into the live set.
It’s also the only time that you can feel an obvious darkness in lead singer Henry Camamile’s writing.
Hidden behind upbeat pop tempos and sing-along choruses, Camamile reveals an inner struggle with his own mental health after suffering a brain injury whilst working in a pub. The album’s title Open Up Your Head is a reference to his attempt to convey his struggles on the record.
It’s actually a real shame that the single Open Up Your Head missed out on a place in the tracklist. There are however plenty of fan favourites on the record including All I Want To Hear You Say, Closer and Violet.
Upon the first listen, it’s very clear which tracks are singles and which aren’t. The bands unspoken mission to create an anthem in every song, may have caused them to trip over their own feet a little on the album and create a disjointed experience for the listener. However this band’s true value lies within their live shows, every song they play elicits a huge reaction from the crowd and once you experience it live, the recorded version will always be a disappointment.
Only once we are back to the usual live gigs, will we be able to tell just how good this album is.
