By STEPHANIE LANDIS
On the other side of the spectrum from a church choir is Chvrches, pronounced churches, an electronic pop band from Glasgow, Scotland. The trio includes Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook, and Martin Doherty.
The band formed in 2011 and their EP “Recover” released in March 2013. Mayberry is lead vocalist and sings a majority of the songs on the album but all three members contribute vocals. The band also uses synthesisers, drums, guitars, bass and samplers to create its unique sound. Chvrches writes, records, mixes and masters all of their own songs in a basement studio in Glasgow.
Their debut album “The Bones Of What You Believe” released Sept. 20, 2013. The album is written, composed and produced by Chvrches. The album’s music genre has been called electronic pop, alternative rock and indie pop. The album charted in the top 20 in multiple countries, reaching number 12 in the United States.
Mayberry’s high voice has a pop-like sound yet it is difficult to compare her to another singer. The electronic sound of the album makes it easy to dance to and catchy, but without the element of annoyance that most mainstream pop or club songs have.
The album’s first song titled “The Mother We Share” starts with a catchy drum beat partnered with the ‘oh’ tune that one can’t help but at least bob his head to. The repetition of ‘oh’s can appear cliche, but the band uses the synthesizers to create a unique angle to an element that one often regards as unnecessary.The electronic elements give Chvrches a sound that stands out in the crowded music industry.
Throughout the rest of the album, Chvrches continues to give their songs their own unique sound while still keeping a steady flow between songs. The songs can sound slightly too similar at times but this similarity has worked better than if the sound had gone from electric pop to rock mid-album. Experimenting with different music styles is important but keeping a good flow and having an interesting album that is fun to listen to is more important.
This Scottish group has begun to gather a real fan group in the States, much like Lorde had after “Royals”. It’s hard to say if they have the potential to be successful in the mainstream music industry. Their music is certainly good enough, it offers a dance beat much like many pop songs, but at the same time the lyrics and vocals have all of the elements found in other alternative music groups for listeners who do not enjoy the mainstream pop.
If the group puts some work into their stage presence, which received less than perfect reviews on sites like The Independent, and gain some more press coverage, they could have a very successful career in both the mainstream and alternative music groups.
The 411
Album title: The Bones Of What You Believe
Release date: Sept. 20, 2013
Cost: $7.99 on iTunes
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars