SEAHAVEN are arguably going to be huge for two very distinct reasons: Firstly, their intriguing blend of pop-punk, post-rock and indie is unlike any sound currently breaking into the scene, and secondly because SEAHAVEN have broken through at exactly the right time in the present climate. On ‘Winter Forever’ the Los Angeles four-piece tread the treacherous line between music and art, with the more developed and thoughtful moments prompting stories within the imagination of the listener, while still delivering an entirely raw musical experience.
‘Winter Forever’ is one of the most stripped-down and emotional albums of the year, supported by the beautifully off-key indie styling of lead vocals, delivering a catalogue of exceptional lyrics. Tracks such as the broken love story of ‘Black and White’ or the incredibly haunting ‘Honey Bee’ work in perfect juxtaposition with more upbeat efforts such as opener ‘Goodnight’ or ‘Thank You’. Where SEAHAVEN have particularly exceeded is avoiding the slower numbers falling into regular ballad territory, and the faster tracks avoiding the pop-punk norms, aided heavily by the unpolished production.
By combining emotion with an in-depth understanding of post-rock and indie, SEAHAVEN are an extremely exciting prospect; the uniquely jilted vocals lending an unusual quality to the ten tracks on offer on the debut LP. With more exploratory pop-punk bands such as Crime In Stereo disappearing from the musical landscape, SEAHAVEN might just have the power to breathe fresh life into emotional rock music. SEAHAVEN could certainly end up massive, and with ‘Winter Forever’ they certainly have proved it would be well deserved.
BEN TIPPLE