Its fair to say that Internet Forever’s debut album has been hotly anticipated. The group have had rave reviews from the likes of Pitchfork, the NME and Drowned in Sound for previously released singles, and praise is now starting to pour in for their eponymous debut too. The appeal is obvious. Internet Forever create short, upbeat, catchy songs with lashings of alt-indie credentials, all wrapped up in a totally accessible yet credible pop-based package.
The album is stuffed full of short, sweet songs, with few tracks on the album topping three minutes. Offerings are scuzzy and obtrusive – a diverse katzenjammer of matted lo-fi drums, synth timbres and guitars. Immediate impressions of the album are of messy pop fuel joy, with influences from psychedelic dream pop, to surf rock and noise pop. Best Coast are probably the group’s closest contemporaries, but there are also subtle influences from 1990s’ acts such as Shampoo and Kinickie. Indeed, Internet Forever’s lead vocals are quite reminiscent of a young Lauren Lavern.
The album is mixed very well, with each track blending seamlessly into the next, effectively creating a 30 minute sonic montage. What is particularly interesting, however, is the prominence of the percussion throughout the album. Hand claps and bass drums are as high in the mix as the vocals, which give the album yet more punch and energy.
The general demeanour of the band’s music is very light, joyful and bright, and in many ways quite simple. There is almost a schoolyard feel to Internet Forever’s music – a youthful joie de vivre and simplicity within the melody progression and lyrical content. Cute, teenage sensibilities is the most significant, over-arching sentiment of the album, with gorgeously youthful, optimistic lyric on adolescent mundanities being the predominant lyrical focus. This is all simply executed with such enthusiasm and honesty that is completely un-sickly. Topics are covered in simple polarities – love/not love, happy/sad, good/bad.
Internet Forever has such simple and sweet approach both lyrically and musically, that is in no way stupid or shallow. Indeed, the lyrics very insightfully and accurately represent the mindset of youth, which ultimately makes this album pleasurable for anyone who is, or who was once young.
See this at TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/03/27/review-internet-forever/
