What's It Like Over There? is the third studio album by British indie rock band, Circa Waves. The album was released 5 April 2019 through PIAS Recordings and Prolifica.
| What's It Like Over There? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 5 April 2019 | |||
| Length | 30:56 | |||
| Label | PIAS, Prolifica | |||
| Producer | Alan Moulder[1] | |||
| Circa Waves chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from What's It Like Over There? | ||||
Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 59/100[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [3] |
| DIY | [4] |
| Dork | [5] |
| The Independent | [6] |
| NME | [7] |
| Q | [2] |
| The Skinny | [8] |
On Metacritic, What's It Like Over There? holds an average critic score of 59 out of 100 indicating "mixed or average reviews based on 6 critics".[2]
Dylan Tuck, writing for The Skinny praised Circa Waves' change in trajectory compared to their first two albums: Different Creatures and Young Chasers and compared the album to the Arctic Monkeys' Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.[8] Describing the piano-influences in the album, Tuck said "What's It Like Over There? sees the group ditch the surging guitars in favour of more subtle, delicate touches. In a very Arctic Monkey's move, throbbing, angst-fuelled rhythms make way for piano melodies (Times Won't Change Me, Passport), ambitiously pop-infused moments incorporated with an anthemic quality (Sorry I'm Yours, Be Somebody Good), or melancholic yet upbeat ballads (The Way We Say Goodbye)."[8] Tuck ultimately awarded the album four stars out of five.[8]
Dork magazine staff writer, Jamie MacMillan called What's It Like Over There? a "gospel-tinged bluesy piano number".[5] MacMillan further said that "the band have created something that few would have seen coming, a seismic shift away from their usual big guitar sound into something far poppier and unrestrained by tired old tropes." Like Tuck, MacMillan also awarded the album four stars out of five.[5]
Hannah Mylrea, writing for New Musical Express was more critical of What's It Like Over There? Mylrea felt that the album was inconsistent, with only a handful of well composed tracks, with "lacklustre" filler tracks. Mylrea summarized the album by saying "Circa Waves are no longer are the perfect band to accompany you and your pals necking tinnies in the sun, and instead sound more like the soundtrack to a Nicholas Sparks film. ‘What's It Like Over There?’ is the band's sugar rush sound moving into a toothache."[7] Louisa Dixon, writing for DIY, was similarly critical of the album, describing it as "both over-produced and underwhelming".[4]
Track listing
editThis section is missing information about songwriters. (December 2023) |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "What's It Like Over There?" | 0:20 |
| 2. | "Sorry I'm Yours" | 3:49 |
| 3. | "Times Won't Change Me" | 3:13 |
| 4. | "Movies" | 3:23 |
| 5. | "Me, Myself and Hollywood" | 2:49 |
| 6. | "The Way We Say Goodbye" | 4:04 |
| 7. | "Be Somebody Good" | 3:00 |
| 8. | "Passport" | 3:27 |
| 9. | "Motorcade" | 3:42 |
| 10. | "Saviour" | 3:09 |
| Total length: | 30:56 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Something More" | 3:05 |
| 2. | "Two of a Kind" | 3:12 |
| 3. | "Hunters" | 2:55 |
| 4. | "Ordinary Life" | 4:08 |
| 5. | "Movies (Alternate Version)" | 3:32 |
| Total length: | 47:51 | |
Charts
edit| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[10] | 3 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[11] | 4 |
References
edit- ^ a b Earls, John (28 November 2018). "Circa Waves announce new album and its inspirations: 'Drake, LCD Soundsystem and being off my face on Strongbow'". NME. Archived from the original on 19 January 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
The new album, which is the follow-up to 2017's 'Different Creatures', is made with the band's regular producer Alan Moulder
- ^ a b c "What's It Like Over There? by Circa Waves Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ Collar, Matt. Review of What's It Like Over There at AllMusic. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
- ^ a b Dixon, Louisa (5 April 2019). "Circa Waves - What's It Like Over There?". DIY. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ a b c MacMillan, Jamie (4 April 2019). "Circa Waves - What's It Like Over There?". Dork. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
- ^ Pollard, Alexandra; O'Connor, Roisin (4 April 2019). "Album reviews: Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising, and Circa Waves – What's It Like Over There?". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
- ^ a b Mylrea, Hannah (5 April 2019). "Circa Waves – 'What's It Like Over There?' review". NME. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d Tuck, Dylan (5 April 2019). "Circa Waves – What's It Like Over There?". The Skinny. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
- ^ "「WHAT'S IT LIKE OVER THERE? / ワッツ・イット・ライク・オーヴァー・ゼア？」 | Big Nothing /ULTRA-VYBE". ビッグ・ナッシング / ウルトラ・ヴァイヴ | (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
External links
edit- What's It Like Over There? at Discogs (list of releases)
- What's It Like Over There? on iTunes