NYC-based rock band A Place To Bury Strangers can only be described by the classic shoegaze-appropriated term “wall of sound.” This revival of the term popularized to describe the production of Phil Spector demonstrated the heavy side of the indie/alternative spectrum, this side being called shoegaze and the other known as dream pop. Clearly inspired by the hazy works of My Bloody Valentine and similar artists initially, this band now positions themselves in a unique midpoint between pop hooks and a rock massiveness, and their new album See Through You shows that quality in peak form.
While the whole album has a similar sound that is worth praising for consistency, there are still a few moments that stick out for their top-notch songwriting. The eerie heaviness and slowburn of 'I'm Hurt,' the pop/rock songwriting and as close to a punk-like hook as they can get on 'Let's See Each Other,' and the whole closing stretch starting with single-worthy track 'Hold On Tight' all represent the subtle shifts in shades of this great band.
By packing the proceedings with highlight after highlight, A Place To Bury Strangers is a focused culmination of 20 years of harsh music turned into a universally thoughtful experience. See Through You is undeniably not easy listening, yet finds anthemic, cathartic, and listenable fragments to cut through the noise in a clear and focused production. Fans need not fear the accessibility eliminating the harshness, and wary listeners only need to give it a chance to see that the jaggedness never drowns out the melodies. So far, this is the ultimate noise rock/shoegaze/post-punk collection of 2022.
Rating: 8/10
★★★★★★★★☆☆
1. Nice of You to Be There for Me
2. I'm Hurt
3. Let's See Each Other
4. So Low
5. Dragged in a Hole
6. Ringing Bells
7. I Disappear (When You're Near)
8. Anyone But You
9. My Head Is Bleeding
10. Broken
11. Hold on Tight
12. I Don't Know How You Do It
13. Love Reaches Out