Have a Nice Life contend with the legacy of their seminal work, Deathconsciousness. This is a trap many young bands with promise become caught in. It's the reason My Bloody Valentine took twenty-two years to follow up Loveless. Taking notes from MBV, Have a Nice Life have here rejigged their signature sound.
Tremolo guitar and falsetto ooh-ing gives Sea of Worry a blackened surf-rock vibe. Production is more squeaky-clean than before. Lyrical candour is as biting as ever, but now more considered; less damaged and frightening. The cumulative effect of these changes is a mixed bag. The album separates itself elegantly from Have a Nice Life's previous work, but at points feels tinny and phoned-in.
Earlier works' cracked rage defers to a resigned softness. Lyrics are still peppered with arcane imagery and refer to Satan and death. But something feels more measured; a depressive old-head who has learned to coexist with their condition.
When this approach works, though, Sea of Worry is a joy. 'Science Beat' is a dreamy piece which lunges into some beautiful harmonies and melodic guitar phrases. It's something like a lost New Order song, damaged and decayed but still reaching towards the sun. A microcosm of this album's successes, the song is a balancing act between hope and dismay.
'Lords of Tresserhorn' majestically resurrects the band's noisy origins. It feels like a self-immolating track. Every snare crash loosens the kit's component parts a little more. Every strike of string frays and splits the steel fibres. 'Destinos' is similarly monstrous, but offers unexpected moments of respite amidst its crushing power. These tracks represent a tendency for Sea of Worry to regress further into the band's old sound as it proceeds.
The general tone is one of quiet, fractured ethereality. The viscera has been mopped up, but the floor is still stained. It's an album which is beautiful, hopeful, and even at times fun. Have a Nice Life still occupy the same troublesome world — but they're having a good day in it.
Sea of Worry is available to purchase and stream here.
Words by Andrew O’Keefe