Like the women that make up the band, The Beaches’ latest is down-to-earth, refreshingly honest, and effortlessly cool. After going viral on TikTok, the group’s first independent release since getting dropped by Island Records is a surprising swell of pop that strays from their alt-rock repertoire. It’s as much a “fuck you” to boyfriends past as it is a diaristic exploration of sensuality, independence, and debauchery. And at the beating heart of the album, it’s a love letter to young queer girls.
By Khagan Aslanov
On their sophomore LP, the Oklahoma sludge-punks build an uglier golem.