“The ‘difficult second album’ cliché is a well-worn one, but in Pale Waves’ case it’s warranted. In the near-three years since their debut album, they’ve negotiated a never-ending tour; the fracturing of a crucial creative partnership between lead singer Heather Baron-Gracie and drummer Ciara Doran; a near-fatal bus crash and having to finish an album in a pandemic, wearing masks in the studio and ”
“Identity has been a hot topic surrounding Pale Waves from the band’s very beginning. They had the dark, brooding look of an ‘80s goth act, but a discography full of danceable pop hits. Even while receiving acclaim as the NME Under The Radar Award winner before their debut album’s release, they caught heat from critics for sounding too much like other indie-pop artists. With all of the discourse on”
“Pale Waves strive towards finding themselves on Who Am I?”
“The Manchester quartet is still stuck as an imitation act, but their love for 2000s-era singer-songwriter pop—and their star potential—comes through.”
“Pale Waves bring little more than the fundamentals on their sophomore album.”
