The Pointer UW-Stevens Point Student Newspaper
Taylor Christian tchri473@uwsp.edu
One of these weeks, I will be allowed to grace all you readers with a raving, positive review of a band that I have loved for a long time once again. Unfortunately, the end of my chop-busting review streak does not come this week. With the release of their third full-length album, Heza, Generationals have brought a very different album from the engaging, hooky guitar riffs that marked their very successful first two albums. Founded back in 2008, the duo has become known for blindingly bright, catchy pop that wormed its way into your brain and set up permanent shop. Heza, however, brings a very new formula to the table, showcasing a largely pacified sound reminiscent of the boom of ‘dream-pop’ groups hailing from California. The album features fuzzy, synth-ey underbeds that lend a relaxing, ambient theme to much of the album’s overall tone. In many ways I found the changes made the album much more filled with forgettable tracks, but really helped to make the albums leading tracks stand out much more effectively.
Regardless of my opinions on the sonic changes the band has undergone since the album that brought them to the spotlight, on the whole Heza is a very listenable album. The track flow together seamlessly, making it a great soundtrack to a lazy day when you want to pretend spring came long ago. Specific tracks that really caught my attention include intro track “Spinoza,” outro “Durga II,” and the jangly, poppy track that really made me realize I was listening to a Generationals album, “Put A Light On.” It also bears mentioning that while I feel this album mark a small downturn for the group, the sheer appeal of the style of the Generationals make the album worth more than a listen. Hopefully future albums will see a return to the powerhouses of pop perfection we’ve come to love, but if Heza is the low point we see in the Generationals career, then we’ve got a spectacular discography to look forward to.
