PVRIS, arguably one of the most iconic bands in the alternative scene at the moment, released their newest album EVERGREEN on July 14th, with rave reviews. And we at The Honey POP feel no different! PVRIS combines so many different genres on each and every record, creating new themes and ambiances to explore. EVERGREEN was the cherry on top of their amazing discography ‘sundae.’ It fits in perfectly with the exploration and evolution of PVRIS while maintaining a unique and unexplored sound.
PVRIS has explored the dark and mysterious part of the human psyche in their 2014 release, White Noise, and their 2017 release, All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell, and the exciting aspect of desires in their 2020 release, Use Me. This time, multi-instrumentalist Lynn Gunn dives into the dark side again, and instead of smooth rock fused with electropop, ventures into grunge and industrial sounds. It’s an album about the state of the world and the importance of self-reflection and knowledge required to survive. This time, PVRIS is 100% Lynn Gunn.
Below, we’re listing five must-listen-to tracks off PVRIS’ Evergreen, if you don’t have time to listen to the whole thing (but if you do, do. it.).
‘I DON’T WANNA DO THIS ANYMORE’
One of the most exciting songs on the record is smack dab first, roping you into the vision and experience of EVERGREEN. The beginning of the song is low-key, easing the listener into the electronic-rock album, with a sick drum beat and well-placed synthesizers. The chorus has a stanky hook, using repetition in a smart way to engage the listener, the ultimate opening force to the new record. Lynn Gunn sounds as good as always, if not better. We love the end of the song, backing vocals coasting over the abyss of instrumentals. And no, we haven’t listened to the song a dozen times. Maybe a hundred.
‘HYPE ZOMBIES’
Track five, ‘HYPE ZOMBIES,’ starts off with an incredibly industrial-sounding bass and synth. Lynn Gunn’s flow is unmatched, stringing words together, embodying self-confidence and belief, voice so nonchalant about her own excellence and the people who doubted her. The first chorus drops slightly, Gunn’s vocals picking up some intensity before the lyrics cut out halfway through the chorus. The instrumentals drive the song forward with breaks in the sound before the melody comes crashing in again. A nice touch at the end of the song is the signature use of strings in PVRIS’ work, almost mimicking the sound of the strings in All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell.
‘TAKE MY NIRVANA’
Straight banger after banger, tied for first place for TheHoneyPop’s favorite, ‘TAKE MY NIRVANA’ is just perfect. And we don’t say that lightly. The grunge aspect of the record peaks in this song, the entirety of the chorus being driven forward by a deep, distorted bassline. We love the crash-and-bang aspect of PVRIS’ choruses and the way they’re all consuming when wearing headphones. ‘TAKE MY NIRVANA’ has a couple of contorted live drum tracks that feel industrial, but the hook in the chorus just screams pop. You can dance to this song, jump to this song, and even kind of mosh (if you do it lightly).
‘SENTI-MENTAL’
The pure, unfiltered lyricism in ‘SENTI-MENTAL’ immediately earns its place on this list. Gunn reflects on her mental disconnect from her everyday life, discussing how as she gets older, she feels as if ‘If I was sentimental, I’d be losing my mind.’ She briefly reflects on the relationships in her life fading out as time goes on but is okay with being by herself. The somewhat 2000s-influenced synthesizers in the bridge accompany the repetitive piano in the background, the drums a steady base for the instrumentals. We are definitely sentimental about how this song calls us out.
‘EVERGREEN’
The only song on this list that was released as a single, and the other song tied for first as The Honey Pop’s favorite, ‘EVERGREEN,’ is just… we already used the adjective perfect, but it is. The opening line is perfect for shouting in the car when you’re by yourself and having a rough time, “I think I felt God strike me from the top / Humbled my ass real quick.” We’ve all been there when life seems to be going well, and you’re knocked back down. Gunn approaches the idea of no one really caring about you once you’re no longer ‘young’, “a little born prodigy”, or… “dead.” And being okay with that, because she’ll be ‘evergreen’. Evergreen – adj; “having foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season” (Merriam-Webster). She will continue to grow and be relevant, no matter what people care about.
We could write about the whole album if you wanted us to (feel free to ask us for our thoughts on EVERGREEN in its entirety). Did we mention your favorite songs? What did you think of the new PVRIS record? We think it’s a solid 10/10, but let us know your thoughts down in the comment section below, or by tweeting us at @TheHoneyPop. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram!
You can find PVRIS’ new record on streaming platforms here.
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