Wavves - Afraid Of Heights (ALBUM REVIEW)

Wavves new album Afraid Of Heights should come with a sticker that says: This is a little bit Green Day. A little bit Nirvana. With just a touch of the beachiness you liked from King Of The Beach. Also to make sweet we've added a dash of Weezer.

I have to say this album shows Wavves wearing their influences heavy on their sleeves. At times like I said some tracks sound like lost Nirvana riffs and at times you hear a ton of Green Day and Weezer influence. With that being said the album is pretty fun and a great listen. I very much enjoyed King of The Beach. It was one of my favorite albums of the year it was released. This album continues the trend in cleaner production. For those who aren't familiar prior to King Of The Beach Wavves albums were nearly impossible to listen to due to the production and recording being so lo-fi it made them almost unbearably noisy. The production on Afraid Of Heights fits the album perfectly. It's a little rough so it captures that 90s feel but it’s clean enough to also enjoy.

The songwriting for the new album isn't necessarily a step-up for the band but more of a continued refinement of the sound the band has come to be known for over the years. Vocally Nathan Williams continues to pull off some good vocals. I've always thought his vocals have added a lot to Wavves music and helped Wavves stand out a little from the pack. He continues to do that with this release.

This album may not be the most original musically but I feel it is a nice follow up to King Of The Beach. Some people may be thrown off by the songs sounding so much like the other bands I described above, but it almost feels like homage to something great instead of a generic rip-off. This album feels like a step up for Wavves and probably flows a little better than King Of The Beach did. All in all this is another good album from Wavves.