The Mary Onettes | Hit The Waves Review

About four years ago a band called The Mary Onettes came out with a 80s inspired album called Islands. It was the Swedish band’s second album and had a lot going for it, the lyrics were strong and thoughtfully written, but what really made this album one of the best of 2009, was that it inspired a deep sense of nostalgia. There must have been something in the air that year because we saw many 80s inspired acts make their way into the hearts, and onto the iPods, of many music listeners.  The Big Pink made a splash that year with its critically acclaimed album A Brief History of Love and let’s not forget The XX who also released a very 80s album that year.  Here is the issue though, four years is a long time to feel nostalgic about an era, especially for the often vacillating tastes of the internet generation.  The flavour and favour of the same people who ranted and raved about The Mary Onettes four years ago have most likely shifted their interest to the now pervasively present retro rock style, which has been popularized by bands like The Sheepdogs. Better yet, the same listeners may have shifted their interest to the very popular indie folk alternative style of band such as The Lumineers or Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeroes. If your heart requires nostalgia there is a variable banquet of bygone styles to choose from at the moment.  So where does that leave The Mary Onettes?   

It’s now 2013 and The Mary Onettes have released their third album Hit The Waves and it does not disappoint.  You could almost miss the darkness in the lyrics as a result of the tightly woven hooks that populate this album, but it is there.  Each track on the album recounts dark days and relationship issues.  You might even go as far as to say that this album has deeply emotion lyrics, but due to the soft and catchy nature of the music it is difficult to become truly invested in the sentiment expressed in tracks such as Unblessed and the like.