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Album of the Week: CHVRCHES, 'Screen Violence'

CHVRCHES, 'Screen Violence' album art
CHVRCHES, 'Screen Violence' album artGlassnote

by Mac Wilson

August 30, 2021

The new album from CHVRCHES is called Screen Violence, which is a phrase that has apparently been kicked around since the early days of the band. It's tempting, though, to read it as a commentary on the bizarre last 18 months of existence, as most of our human interactions seem to have been veiled behind a screen. The situation was no different for the three members of CHVRCHES, as Iain Cook, Martin Doherty, and Lauren Mayberry found themselves in different cities, tooling around with phrases both musical and verbal in an effort to put together a new CHVRCHES album during a global pandemic.

If there was any disconnect with the writing, recording, and producing of the new album, it certainly doesn't show in the new material, as Screen Violence exhibits all the traits of the classic CHVRCHES sound: strong vocals, strong sentiments, strong hooks. It's a house full of bangers in a time when we desperately need bangers, and CHVRCHES are happy to deliver.

CHVRCHES - official site
Glassnote Records - official site