Something I’ve always loved and appreciated about the Wombats is its consistency.
Their newest album, “Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life,” stays true to their roots with foot-tapping beats and catchy lyrics.
The indie-rock band was formed in Liverpool in 2003, and is composed of three members. They released their debut album, “A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation” in 2013, which features some of their most popular tracks, like “Kill the Director” and “Let’s Dance to Joy Division.”
The newest album, released Feb. 9, is exactly what I expected from the Wombats.
The sound hits their signature upbeat and indie style right on the head. The album comes in at just under 40 minutes long, and while I wish it were longer, I can also see that this is the perfect length for an album like this.
Just as you’re feeling as though the quick-paced, loud sound is beginning to be too much, they manage to switch things up with some slower-paced songs.
Songs like “I Don’t Know Why I Like You But I Do,” the album closer, and “Ice Cream” slow the album down a bit, creating a more laid-back feeling.
Originally this threw me off, but I think ending the album on “I Don’t Know Why I Like You But I Do” was a bold and smart move.
The album starts strong and upbeat and finishes soft and relaxed, and something about this makes it mold together so beautifully.
As of Feb. 13, “Turn” is sitting at No. 1 on the Wombats’ most popular song on Spotify.
To me, “Turn” sounds a bit like “1996,” from their 2011 album, “The Wombats Proudly Present: This Modern Glitch,” but has just enough of a difference in sound to make it stand out as something completely different.
It’s a subtle change, enough to show that the band has developed and improved, but not enough to completely change their sound.
You know those songs that make you wish you had a video montage of your life? The opener of “Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life” is one of those songs.
“Cheetah Tongue” makes me wish I were in the back of a taxi cab, zooming through New York or Chicago or some big city, caught in the middle of a romantic comedy montage.
This album, like they say in “Dip You in Honey” feels like it was “made of sunshine.”
The album feels like the period between spring and summer. It feels like a sunny day where the weather is just right. It feels like a smile from a stranger, or like times when coffee places mess up your order and give you the size up on accident.
The Wombats are a consistent band, full of songs that force you to dance even when your day is going exceptionally poorly. This album is a perfect example of their rambunctious and beautifully-crafted music.
To go with the upbeat sound of "Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life" I created a two-hour playlist featuring artists such as the Strokes, Two Door Cinema Club, the Vaccines and, of course, the Wombats. You can listen to it here.
