Music > Album Reviews

Everything Everything - A Fever Dream

25/08/17

There’s an episode of Bob’s Burgers wherein nine year old Louise Belcher trips out on an immensely psychedelic fever dream involving stuffed toys singing at one another. And really, that’s what fourth album from Manchester outfit Everything Everything sounds like. In a good way.

The album only really begins with surrealistically vague and self-aware second track Can’t Do - a stylishly danceable tune with lyrics that offer up a second dimension; frontman Jonathan Higgins howls “Help me,I can’t do the thing you want” over a repetitive yet addictive keyboard riff heavily influenced by late-80s-or-early-noughties dance music.

The two standout tracks consist of already-released singles Can’t Do and A Fever Dream’ with the rest of the album sounding like Everything Everything, but just a little bit muted.

Whilst it’s evident that Everything Everything have evolved as a band, there’s something about A Fever Dream that’s missing. The record is enjoyable, it’s catchy, it’s entertaining, but for some reason it simply lacks the electric charisma of Get To Heaven and Arc. Get To Heaven holds some of the most gloriously experimental pop of, arguably, the century. A Fever Dream is simply a comment, not a rebuttal. And while that’s not inherently a negative thing, it’s hard not to be a little disappointed.

6.5/10