“Screen Violence” by CHVRCHES Album Review
Written by Olivia Friess
Not long ago, I was in the car listening to Alt Nation on the radio when a song by a familiar artist came on. That song was “How Not To Drown” by CHVRCHES and Robert Smith. I remember growing up on CHVRCHES, who’s indie electro-pop debut The Bones of What You Believe (2013) was a constant on car rides with my father. Since then, I had not heard much from the trio until I heard this single off of their latest album Screen Violence. Their catchy hooks and consistent sound compelled me to give their latest release a listen.
Screen Violence was released just a mere three weeks ago on Aug. 27, and has already amassed well over one million streams on multiple tracks on Spotify alone. The album predominantly explores the intense feelings of falling in and out of love, as well as the manipulation that can evolve out of these intense feelings, as heard on track two, “He Said She Said”. The record features ten tracks in total, six of those clocking in between the four and six minute mark, a length that would typically be considered long for a pop song. Screen Violence proves that CHVRCHES has been able to effectively burst into the mainstream pop scene––as seen through their 2019 release with popular DJ Marshmello, who has worked with the likes of Khalid, Halsey, and the Jonas Brothers––without sacrificing their unique sound and artistic integrity, which is a pattern sometimes seen with indie musicians that experience rapid growth.
The album opens with “Asking for a Friend”. The song explores the mindset of one going through relationship-based manipulation while simultaneously attempting to desperately win back this manipulative partner. Vocalist Lauran Mayberry expresses this through her repeated lyrics and shame in crawling back to this partner by claiming she is “asking for a friend,” a typical excuse used in order to avoid seeming overly direct in one’s request. Next, “He Said She Said” carries on this torturous pattern of manipulation, but this time our protagonist begins to admit the toxicity of this relationship by repeatedly claiming she is losing her mind. The third track, “California”, continues this established narrative when Mayberry finally ends this relationship. Relating it to death, she metaphorically says “I didn’t go to the funeral” and “You’ll die in California”. Then, “Violent Lights” continues this trend of dark lyrics and the continuation of the narrative as Mayberry continues to feel the effects of this lost relationship on a much darker, deeper level.
“How Not to Drown” features the incomparable Robert Smith of The Cure and explores the throws of this relationship from two perspectives, a shift from the singular perspective of Mayberry. Listeners learn that both members of this couple are experiencing similar feelings, a slew of denial, frustration, mourning, and fear. Moving onto the latter half of the record, in “Final Girl”, Mayberry compares the former relationship to a horror film by utilizing the classic “final girl” trope as a way to describe herself and the effects of this relationship on her in a more intense, tragic way. “Good Girls”, the record’s only explicit song, finds Mayberry in a state of intense anger as she describes the various outlandish traits her partner expected her to possess during their turbulent relationship, but it also serves as a commentary on the expectations surrounding the behavior of women in general. Once again touching on the recurring themes of suicide and self-demise, “Lullabies” expresses her feelings of anger while mourning the lost relationship despite its toxic effects on Mayberry. It finds her in a state of helplessness and a complete loss of hope from this relationship rooted in manipulation that convinced her that she was in the wrong countless times.
During “Nightmares”, our protagonist slowly succumbs to the manipulation as she begins to enter a stage of forgiveness and outstanding love for this treacherous partner. After this relapse, Mayberry finally decides to leave this person behind as seen through the lyrics of the final track, “Better If You Don’t”. It’s more mellow, as Mayberry finally reaches this stage of closure from the turmoil of this relationship that saw her grieving, full of anger and regret, and running back in desperation.
Sonically, the album channeled CHVRCHES’ classic electro-pop, synth-wave, and indietronica sound. It’s bright synths served as a contrast to it’s dark, heavy lyrics, giving the album a lively feel which could echo the idea of appearing okay on the surface while an intense storm rages beneath. Overall, Screen Violence maintains a synth-heavy sound for the bulk of the album, while the final track, “Better If You Don’t”, takes on a dialed back approach to synth-wave to demonstrate the feelings of acceptance and closure.
Overall, the record approached the effects and demise of a manipulative relationship in an incredibly realistic way. Listeners struggle along with Mayberry and her self-destructive behavior throughout the course of the album and breathe a sigh of relief at the end, a sigh which the final track’s composition echoes. The record was well composed and contained an intriguing, yet unfortunately familiar narrative for many. It is certainly worth the listen whether or not you can relate to it’s lyrics. While not terribly diverse on a sonic level, it’s lyrics make up for it and CHVRCHES fans are sure to appreciate the consistent sound.
