Declan McKenna - What Happened To The Beach? (Album Review)
Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Written by Jacob Brookman
For his third album, Declan McKenna has zigged across to the West Coast of America to record an album of wonky, skronky pop songs. It’s another left turn for a singer-songwriter whose 2017 breakthrough record ‘What Do You Think About the Car?’ introduced a precocious indie teen troubadour — a sort of Gen Z Gary Numan.
It’s a difficult album to pin down in a critical sense. One reason is that its songs, though undoubtedly creative in conception and arrangement, are difficult to listen to. McKenna’s discursive charm often comes out in mumbles below the main body of the production, with chunky drum patches and synth sounds splattering multicoloured paint everywhere.
Elevator Hum is particularly guilty of this — its confusing rhythm recalls the electro-indie of Bombay Bicycle Club at their best, while its sad boy vocals make the track seem imbalanced and, frankly, a bit annoying.
It’s somewhat better on Mulholland’s Dinner and Wine, which combines a summery groove with some excellent melody writing. And yet the constant layering of tones, possibly the result of input from producer Gianluca Buccellati, drowns out McKenna’s vocals and removes the supposed centrepiece of the listen.
Some of this, though, is to do with McKenna’s voice itself. He favours a laconic, stoned singing style that, while less common in pop music historically, has been popularised in the past decade by alt-J and Billie Eilish. For this vocal delivery to work, you really need complementary music with deep, detailed storytelling that holds the attention. ‘What Happened to the Beach?’ doesn’t quite have that.
It could be a lot worse, though. The tale of a UK musician moving to LA to write the hit album is a trope as old as pop music itself, and has often resulted in an output of superficial garbage and bankrupt record labels. This isn’t that — it is too odd, awkward, too often forgettable.
It actually recalls the big beat DJ act Bentley Rhythm Ace, who also combined a huge and impressive array of maximalist textures with varied results. The problem with splattering multicoloured paint against the wall is that, eventually, the colours turn to a sludgy brown. ‘What Happened to the Beach?’ avoids that, but only just.
Declan Mckenna Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Wed February 14 2024 - LEEDS Wardrobe
Fri February 16 2024 - EDINBURGH Liquid Rooms
Sat February 17 2024 - DUNDEE Fat Sams
Sun February 18 2024 - HULL Welly Club
Sat March 23 2024 - CARDIFF Cardiff University Students Union
Sun March 24 2024 - NORWICH Norwich Uea
Mon March 25 2024 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Newcastle City Hall (O2 City Hall)
Wed March 27 2024 - GLASGOW O2 Academy Glasgow
Thu March 28 2024 - GLASGOW O2 Academy Glasgow
Fri March 29 2024 - SHEFFIELD O2 Academy Sheffield
Mon April 01 2024 - BELFAST Ulster Hall
Tue April 02 2024 - DUBLIN 3Olympia Theatre
Wed April 03 2024 - DUBLIN 3Olympia Theatre
Fri April 05 2024 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Sat April 06 2024 - LIVERPOOL Liverpool Su Mountford Hall
Mon April 08 2024 - LEICESTER De Montfort Hall
Tue April 09 2024 - BRISTOL Bristol Beacon
Wed April 10 2024 - WOLVERHAMPTON Civic Hall at The Halls - Complex
Fri April 12 2024 - LONDON Alexandra Palace
Sat April 13 2024 - BRIGHTON Centre
Sun April 14 2024 - BOURNEMOUTH O2 Academy Bournemouth
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
