Reviewed by Juan Zambrano
Dalliance, the new album by Halifax post-punk quintet Beauts, is a beautifully melancholic lyrical journey, with a hopeful melodic backdrop.
Dalliance is an album of contrast, On the one hand, the lyrics are often melancholic. Conversely, the melodies behind these lyrics are ethereal, hopeful and occasionally fast paced. This contrast is evident from the opening track The City Loves Me. Lyrically, the song sees its protagonist describing their experience with city life and wondering how it compares to their previous living situation. Throughout the song, the city is portrayed in a similar vein to an abusive lover. One who takes more than they give and prohibits their partner from leaving the relationship. Despite their subject matter the lyrics are mainly backed by a fast tempo bassline and distorted guitars. These two elements bring the song to life, providing a catchy melody, while also ensuring a pleasant listening experience.
Alongside distorted and occasionally powerful guitars, other instruments occasionally pop in to provide hope amongst the band’s musings. The most prominent of these are synthesizers, which make their mark on tracks such as the second cut Good Measure and the closing number Shut In. Much like the bass in the opening cut, the synths heard here are fast paced and lively, harkening to their heyday in the 1980s. In a further callback to the 80s, the gated drums made famous by songs of the decade, also pop up on occasion. In contrast to the other instruments, however, the use of gated drums adheres closely to the melancholy lyrics. This could’ve easily created a confused final product. Fortunately, the vocals throughout each track are the mediator here, providing a perfect mix of melancholy and hope.
While vocals give the album balance and lyrics tell the stories, Dalliance perhaps shines brightest as a sonic experience. The ethereal orchestration recalls the dream pop of bands such as Ireland’s The Cranberries, and the shoegazing of Slowdive. Whether leaning into the melancholy of the lyrics, or contrasting it with hope, Dalliance sends the listener into a musical dream from which many will not want to wake. This is fitting for a band who describe their style as “sacrificing chops for gusto”. This may seem like a risky move to some, but if Dalliance is a hint of things to come, Beauts’ ‘gusto over chops’ philosophy paints a bright future for the Halifax quintet.
I very much enjoyed reading this critic. It’s thourough and thoughtful. It tells the story behind this album and invites the reader to listen to it again and again. Great job!