Following the release of their popular single “Bridges” roughly a year ago, brother-sister duo Broods have just released their first album, Evergreen. The band is comprised of New Zealand’s Georgia and Caleb Nott. Together they produce an indie, electronic sound that gives off a morose vibe through many of their songs. Although there is a lot of potential and a few gems on this album, there’s a serious lack of energy that makes most of the album sound the same. This unfortunately undermines many of the great moments of individual songs
One of the best tracks off of this freshman album is its introduction song “Mother & Father.” Heavy bass drums and bursting light-synth driven choruses carry the message of change. The lyrics give a thoughtful notion of moving on, “I don’t wanna wake up lonely. I don’t wanna just be fine.”
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But most of Broods tracks begin with a dark pensive sound that is reinforced by Georgia’s enchanting, mystic vocals.. However, this brooding sound is simply overused and leads to a lack of variety. These songs drag the album down into a tired monotony.
The lack of energy is often compensated for with more aggressive songs like “Everytime” where moments of low, ominous synth give way to a faster chorus. The pattern, between brooding and exciting, might actually work, if it wasn’t for the fact that Evergreen simply jumps back and forth between the two styles for a tad too long. The potential charm of either style disappears once the pattern is realized.
A simple fix for Broods would be to further emphasize the vocal talents the two have. Heavy synth work drowns out Georgia’s voice and leaves a mottled image. On “Four Walls,” ia soft piano-based ballad that is where synth lines are light and understated, Georgia’s vocals can truly shine here and keep the song interesting. Although quite different, “Superstar” utilizes the same idea to produce a strong, progressive electro-pop track. Some of the best songs on the album prove that less is often more.
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There is a lot of potential in Broods as an artist. Many of their works show greatness comparable Banks and Imogen Heap. One can even detect some Lorde-esque sounds in the band’s track “Superstar.” Branching out of their comfort zone would do wonders for this rising band.
Voice’s Choices: “Superstar,” “Mother & Father”
