Beauts – Dalliance
Beauts have done some re-evaluating before the release of their debut LP Dalliance. Their 2015 self-titled debut EP was a short burst of scrappy post-punk and alt-rock tunes, and the 2016 follow-up Waves/Wash EP focused more on the pop elements of new wave. But for the past five years, the Halifax five-piece of Palmer Jamieson, Jeff Lawton, Darryl Smith, Erik Van Lunen, and Joel Waddell, have been refocusing the band’s energy into creating more dynamic and layered songs.
Dalliance is a contemporary rock album with a focused energy that Beauts have developed over the past few years, but with a strong tie to its inspirers, such as Interpol, New Order, and The Cure by blending together elements of post-punk, new wave, psych rock, and shoegaze.
Their earlier discography carried a sense of eagerness, almost as if they were rushing to reach the song’s chorus and hook. However, on Dalliance, they are able to take their time and pack in layers of detailing and instrumentation. Playing to their advantage of being a quintet, Beauts amalgamate synthesizers, bass, guitar lines, and vocal harmonies to build more structured and concrete pieces.
Opening single “The City Loves Me” plays with the melodic abilities of synthesizers, fuzzy guitar, and airy vocal harmonies. It effortlessly slides into “Good Measure”, an equally dynamic song, that vocalist Jeff Lawton explains, “We’ve sort of been increasingly mellowing out as a band, and this song is evidence of that. Instead of trying to hit people over the head with an intense anthem, we’ve been paying more attention to nuance, especially with the dynamics of a song,”.
The ability to tie together more pieces into the songs is especially powerful on the synth-ballad “Just Like Everything”. Creating a cinematic and post-rock-esque atmosphere it highlights the group’s synergy.
Leaning slightly more into the alternative rock side of things, “Drifters, All” contains a similarly atmospheric sound as Lawton sings a nostalgic tune about past friendships and trying to hold onto relationships as time passes. “It’s easy to lose touch with these people as you age and get increasingly bogged down with lifestyle changes, and the lyrics grapple with the extent you should be maintaining your connections,” says Lawton. This anxiety and subtle sense of regret shines through with the melancholic guitar verses and vocals.
The track effortlessly shifts into “Hurry”, a soft indie tune that is reminiscent of the early days of Stars and Broken Social Scene through melancholic storytelling and slow-burning crescendos. Hitting the six-minute mark, it is certainly the album’s most intense single, as it finally unleashes into a crashing finale.
Dalliance eventually comes full circle with the indie rock “Shut In”. The racing hi-hat and glistening guitar melody makes for a indie rock tune fit for the summer days to come.
For an album titled Dalliance, it has much more foresight than a fleeting romance. While the songs may help evoke a sense of a summertime fling with its hazy guitars and ethereal vocals, it has much more substance and longevity that will keep Beauts moving forward.
Head to their website for more music.
