veronica falls - waiting for something to happen

Veronica Falls

Waiting for Something to Happen
Slumberland; 2013

3.4 out of 5

Whereas Veronica Falls' debut was filled with reverb-drenched, frenetic-yet-haunting songs reminiscent of early Throwing Muses or the C86 "twee" sound of the 80's, only with intricate vocal harmonies, 'Waiting for Something to Happen' features a dreamier, warmer vibe, with its intertwining jangly guitars and clearer vocals resulting in a much fuller sound. While these songs may not have the immediacy of their debut, the beautiful melodies and harmonies more than make up for it.

The overall sound here actually shares as much in common with the breezy, beach-y dream-pop of bands like Real Estate or Beach Fossils as it does the eerie post-punk of their debut. The stellar "Teenage" is a good example, with it's fluid rhythms and blissed-out guitars, but those other bands never had the just-plain-gorgeous boy-girl harmonies found here. "If You Still Want Me" has been stuck in my head all day, with it's layered, overlapping vocals riding along on a bouncing rhythm that's nearly impossible to not bob your head to.

Two key areas where this album differs from the previous are the clearer, fuller-sounding production, and the drumming, which features a more standard "rock" style, with actual crashing cymbals every few seconds that gives it a more accessible, radio-friendly sound. In no way are these things negatives, imo, as the infectious melodies--this band's strong suit--are more up front now, and are only accentuated by the cymbals.

'Waiting for Something to Happen' maintains it's dreamy, jangle-pop vibe throughout, which can be both a positive and a negative. All the songs here fit together, but the lack of variety means the album can get a bit "samey" when listened to straight through. However, each song is essential listening for fans of this style, and they definitely won't be coming out of my rotation anytime soon.

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