Pacific Northwest quartet Chastity Belt releases their fifth album, titled Live laugh Loverecorded in three sessions in three years: January 2020, November 2021 and 2022.
Chastity Belt formed in 2010 in Walla Walla, Washington, and consists of Julia Shapiro on vocals and guitar, Lydia Lund on guitar, Annie Truscott on bass, and Gretchen Grimm on drums. Unlike his previous efforts, Live laugh Love finds all four band members singing: Lund provides vocals on “Funny” and “I-90 Bridge,” while Truscott sings on “Kool-Aid” and Grimm on “Tethered.”
With 11 tracks, highlights include the first track, “Hollow,” with soft, shimmering guitars that shine with warm translucent colors. Shapiro's voice imbues the lyrics with lingering feelings of being adrift in the ocean of the world while also accepting the situation as it is. “Clumsy” exudes flavors of grunge fused with shoegaze, giving the tune the feeling of floating against a hazy background. Its raw essence is satisfying and dreamily meaningful.
The low, fluid intro of “It's Cool” flows into a minimalist melody that exudes undulating sonic tones and then takes on bolder tones, accentuating the sublime sense of inertia of the harmonics.
Dark and resonant with elusive echoes, “Kool-Aid” features hints of psychedelia and shoegaze, giving the tune an atmosphere of oil and water. A personal favorite due to its fiery guitars and pulsing beat, “Chemtrails” moves forward relentlessly, adding sinister and light surfaces.
“Tethered” begins with emerging layers and gradually escalates into a feverish wash of color as melancholy harmonies blossom into translucent, life-sized beauty. At once thoughtful and vulnerable, Live laugh Love drips with mature, evolving introspection.
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