There's some set of surprises that one gets with each Hinds album. From the remarkably solid full-length debut in early 2016 with its expansion of the sound heard on early tracks, to 2018's I Don't Run with its relatively smooth production, each subsequent Hinds record has satisfied in a slightly new way. And now here we are with the assured The Prettiest Curse, out tomorrow on Mom+Pop.
The Prettiest Curse continues the slick studio sheen we heard on the last album, with "Riding Solo" sounding a good deal like "The Club" from that one, but that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned. However, it's "Just Like Kids (Miau)" with its sharp lyrics that immediately indicates how far removed this third record is from album number two. Bitterly funny, smart, and cocky, "Just Like Kids (Miau)" finds Ana Perrote and Carlotta Cosials answering and refuting the criticisms of dumb, likely male fans. It's a breezy number, for all its pointed wit, as is the peppy "Boy", one of the catchiest things you're going to hear in 2020. If that cut bounces with purpose before erupting into an absolutely euphoric chorus, "Waiting for You" is even better. Breathy vocals give way to a hook that's pure Ziggy Stardust. And as absurd a comparison as that might sound, the song builds and builds in a near-glam rush that's positively addictive.
What's apparent here even more than on even the last superb record, is that this band is truly a band. That's a silly thing to emphasize but not when you recall that Hinds gained attention as a duo first. With Ade Martin's bass holding down the propulsive "The Play", and Amber Grimbergen's drumming giving "Burn" real energy, the music of Hinds feels now like more than just the product of Ana and Carlotta. Sprinkled with indie-rock verve, this album is closer to the first few Arctic Monkeys albums than it might be to this group's own 2016 debut. The mix of the sweet and rough, like on the elegantly simple "Come Back And Love Me <3" or the radio-friendly "Good Bad Times", is addictive. This is really, like each previous Hinds release, the sort of thing you want to play again immediately after hearing it for the first time. To attempt to write about it is futile because it's such an effortlessly pleasing album that one is, again, sort of astounded at how great this band is, and they just seem to get better and better with each release.
The Prettiest Curse is out tomorrow on Mom+Pop.
More details on Hinds via the official Facebook page.
[Photo: Andrea Savall]