Weymouth punks Weatherstate have arrived with their second album Never Better, with the hopes of receiving the same positive reception their debut Be A Cynic did 3 years ago. Although, through pessimism, woe and way more shoegaze than expected, this record is hard to compare.
It’s clear from the start that guitarists and Harry Hoskins and Callan Milward have made a new musical discovery that’s ever present throughout the new record. The distortion pedal hinted at in tracks like ‘Arteries’ on Be A Cynic has been fully divulged, making Never Better edge closer to psych rock. ‘Hangar’ immediately sets the tone here, reminiscent of Cage The Elephant with the soaring solos echoing against rumbling down-tuned riffs. ‘Pity Lines’ shares a similar sound but with more pop punk tropes like bouncing choruses and lyrical hooks that will be anthemic at future live shows, something Weatherstate are already renowned for.
Fans will find their signature punk rock sound does come through more clearly in ‘Normality’ and ‘Current Dose’. Faster and occasionally off-the-beat percussion plus more raucous riffs give more of what the more dedicated listeners may be searching for. Yet, these big tones are juxtaposed later in the slower, more emotive track ‘Headstone’. Acoustic plucks are uplifted by the atmospheric distorted melodies, then fuelled further by more of these grungy riffs to really make it a Weatherstate track. This is a welcomed change though, finally adding some variation to the muddy noise that feels difficult to wade through at a point. This is not only to do with the thick instrumentation but also Hoskins’ droning vocals that don’t appear to have any range other than the raspy shouts of a heavy smoker.
No one can deny Weatherstate have tried something new in Never Better; delving into depressing topics but garnishing them with ambience. However, this new pedal seems to be the only thing carrying the record. Everything surrounding it is repetitive and quite dull, and without it many of these songs would be near identical. On the next album, Weatherstate need to find variation in other areas of their songwriting, not just throwing in a new bit of gear.