Back in 2013 Citizen found themselves as part of an emo revival, not stadium emo, but the kind of emotional music driven by downbeat, personal songs. Their debut ‘Youth’ sold itself along the same lines as Brand New, but on each subsequent album the sound evolved in fascinating ways. However 2023’s understated ‘Calling The Dogs’ found them drifting toward the middle of the road. It sounded good, the songs were strong, it contained the rock solid quality you’d expect, but something felt missing. This is different.

The album’s title ‘Halcyon Blues’ implies it’s about the sadness of peace and calm. This is true, yet songs like ‘Good Fortune’ and ‘Highs and Lows’ crackle with rediscovered magic. In fact, all the songs do. A sense of mischief is woven through the track list, counterbalancing Matt Kerekes’ downbeat singing with a refreshed overall tone. It’s a shift that makes the whole band feel completely rejuvenated, a puzzle where every single piece slots into place.

Most strikingly the record has an incredible sound. It’s not the devil in the details, it’s the wizardry. Although the album was recorded by Kerekes it’s a combination of the sound mix by Tom Lorde-Alge that makes such a massive difference. Their previous records sound good, but this has so much presence and so much atmosphere they pale in comparison. Each instrument has its own space and every detail is picked out so beautifully can hear what it’s contributing to the song. Imagine a sunflower, or an eclipse, with a big, bold surface in the centre surrounded by a shimmering halo, that’s what the sound is like. It’s so striking it instils a slight sense of panic; but no, not all records sound this good. This is a work of art.

Due to the stunning production sound, and perhaps more than their previous records, this feels like a band effort. Everyone makes a defined and important contribution to the whole. As with 2021’s ‘Life In Your Glass World’ Ben Russin’s drums are a highlight. His playing style favours speedy snare hits, pushing the sound in a mechanical dance machine, a similar direction of the Strokes’ ‘Room On Fire’. It’s also notable how he uses rapid hi-hat taps, especially how it gives ‘Is It In My Brain’ a rustling, uncomfortable edge, neatly suiting the song’s subject matter. However, it’s the recording and sound mix really make it. The pleasing th-ub and snap have a delightful natural depth while the stunning floor tom sound on ‘Anne’ needs to be heard to be believed. When taken alongside the slightly distorted fizz of Eric Hamm’s bass it creates an intoxicating backbone that gives the band’s two guitarists room to express themselves. Throughout the album Nick Hamm and Mason Mercer interweave striking sounds that give each song character like the back-and-forth tremolo picking on ‘Is It My Brain’ or the effects-drenched attack on ‘I Can See You from Here’ but the smaller details like the soft pitch-shifting on ‘Good Fortune’ or the subtle delay that gives ’Either Way‘ its ghostly echo are just as important, making each feel like a rich and textured tapestry.

Matt Kerekes is a brilliant songwriter. You can hear it in his work with Citizen and also on his solo recordings. However, the thing about making music, the difference between a good record and a great one, is inspiration, there’s plenty of that here. That glimmer of an indefinable something. Each song has it and strikes a neat balance between his tone of voice, melodies and lyrics. Songs like ‘Halcyon Blues’ are built around a softer vocal while he leans into a harder sound and shouty sections on ‘Highs and Lows’. ‘Ether’ even features what passes for a rousing chorus. Although he wraps his voice around downbeat phrases like “Do you feel happy” and “No Good for me,” the tone isn’t gloomy. It’s emotional without a sense of alienation.

During the record’s second half the band explore nosier sounds that hark back to their ‘Youth’ era while retaining this record’s updated edge. In many ways the songs feel pleasingly, and softly, experimental. ‘Highs and Lows’ dips its toes into soft, throbbing electronics to create a sense of atmosphere while ‘Matador’ dives headfirst into a chaotic blend of noise, stop/start structures and electronic tickles that sees the band claim new territory. Helpfully, it’s also great song, and that’s what the trick is, that’s where the magic lies.

Citizen have clicked their fingers. ‘Halcyon Blues’ has so much spark it practically sets fire to their sleeves. The magic is clear; Great songwriting, stunning production and newfound enthusiasm. Sadness rarely sounds so good.

IAN KENWORTHY

Citizen have never been strangers to such evolution. Once the flower child of Tumblr’s burgeoning emo scene, where you could barely move for reposts of their fresh-faced debut ‘Youth’s’ artwork, to the extraordinarily grunge-y sophomore album ‘Everybody Is Going To Heaven’, and the moody, melodic ‘As You Please’, it’s clear that Citizen have only ever striven to make records that work for them and them alone.

With that being said, the self-produced ‘Life In Your Glass World’ marks another seminal moment in post-emo genre; never yet has one of these bands made an album so driven by rhythm. Every song on ‘Life In Your Glass World’ was built up from drums and bass first, and results in a record beaming with beats that wouldn’t sit out of place on house songs and are meticulously woven into Citizen’s trademark sound, propelling the band to new heights. From the very second ‘Death Dance Approximately’ kicks in, Citizen have their captive audience bouncing in the palm of their hands.

Other musical nods (intentional or not) don’t go unobserved. Oddly enough, ‘Winter Buds’ is introduced with a guitar harmony early Avenged Sevenfold could only dream of writing, and the deeply experimental ‘Fight Beat’ is built round a bass line that perhaps wouldn’t be remiss in any number of dance clubs. However, the not quite titular ‘Glass World’ may well be the absolute pinnacle of Citizen’s career; a soaring, almost-ballad, building on the foundations of Citizen’s trademark double-tracked harmonies with a driving beat and interspersed with subtle flourishes of electronica.

‘Life In Your Glass World’ acts as a statement of intent in more than instrumentalisation; vocalist Mat Kerekes sounds thoroughly self-assured and exposed in his vulnerability. The angry defiance that shines through in ‘Death Dance Approximately’ — “This is the last time I’ll ever give you another piece of me” — ebbs and flows throughout, interlaced with crushing sensitivity. ‘Edge of the World’ bruises; eloquently and honestly expressing the deep tragedy and regret in heartbreak, whilst threading cautious hope throughout. Articulating such complex emotions is rarely done this well, nor honestly; lines such as “every song for you and I, when we felt easy, we felt alright” paired next to “I looked at you one last time, and knew never again I would sing your name” leave you floored at the pointlessness that only the breakup of a relationship can evoke.

The record parts with us on the decidedly hopeful note of “I hope you learn to love yourself”. It certainly seems as if Citizen have wholeheartedly embraced this mantra with ‘Life In Your Glass World’; wholeheartedly empowered by their self-sufficiency and their actualised musical vision, they have never sounded better. Perhaps it is a message more of us should heed.

ROMY GREGORY

Guitarist Nick Hamm explains: “Open Your Heart was left on the cutting room floor because we thought it was a little disruptive to the album as a whole. But looking back and listening now, it’s such a nice little curiosity in the Citizen catalogue.”

Have a listen to the track below.

Last month they released their third album ‘As You Please’ via Run for Cover Records.

photo: Jimmy Fontaine

All of these tracks are taken from their third album ‘As You Please’, which was released earlier this month via Run for Cover Records.

photo: Jimmy Fontaine

Nervus – Oh Joy

Watford quartet Nervus released their debut album ‘Permanent Rainbow’ through Venn Records last year. They’ll be taking to the road in support of Creeper later this year. Infectious emo/punk rock – it’ll be stuck in your head.

Direct Hit! – Blood On Your Tongue

Taken from the soon-to-be-released split with PEARS is this new single from Milwaukee punks, Direct Hit! Constantly on the road in the States, hopefully it won’t be long before they hit this side of the pond. Think, Andrew WK meets The Aquabats. Wild and catchy.

The Fullblast – Shame

‘Shame’ is taken from the ‘Attack.Sustain.Decay’ EP, released in February. Having split 10 years ago, The Fullblast, from Ontario Canada, refound the spark and reformed and have completely smashed it with this new offering. It’s melodic, fast, anthemic punk rock. Fantastic!

Citizen – Ugly Luck

‘Ugly Luck’ is taken from the brand new record, ‘As You Please’ – Out Now through Run For Cover. Once again, Citizen have sculpted a record full of huge sounding emotional rock songs. There’s aggression and anger, as well as restraint and calm. A flawless release.

Fjort – Couleur

Singing in their own native tongue, Aachen-based trio Fjort are one of the finest post-hardcore bands you are likely to hear. ‘Couleur’ is the first single, taken from the album of the same name, which is out on November 17 through Grand Hotel Van Cleef.

The Interrupters – Phantom City

‘Phantom City’ is taken from 2016’s ‘Say It Loud’ – a 14-track masterpiece of 2-tone Ska and Californian street punk. The band recently shared that they are back in the studio; album three is on its way!

Eat Defeat – Shortcuts

Blending a shared love of pop music, fast skate punk and upbeat pop punk to create high energy melodic songs are Leeds quartet, Eat Defeat. One of the jewels in the crown of the UK DIY punk scene.

Hard Girls – Puddle Of Blood

Taken from the brand new record ‘Floating Now’, out now through Specialist Subject & Asian Man Records. This fourth offering from the San Jose trio features more of their trademarked upbeat, melodic punk rock. Currently touring throughout California.

Cold Reading – Books And Comfort

This indie/emo crew from Lucerne, Switzerland, have just released their new EP ‘Sojourner’ through KROD Records. Catch them on the road throughout mainland Europe. Massive hooks throughout.

Sciatic Nerve – Buy A Horse

Frantic, fast, angry punk rock. Sciatic Nerve feature members of Swingin Utters, Nothington, Western Addiction and Cobra Skulls – some real punk credentials. This quartet is one to keep an eye on – one of the most exciting new punk bands I’ve heard this year.

The appetite for ‘As You Please’ started to build when lead single ‘In The Middle Of It All’ was released. With a sampled falsetto intro, it hinted at what Citizen would experiment with on the record. However it’s hard not to feel a touch deflated when the progress shown on the aforementioned song is not really touched upon again. What you do have however, is a record that feels like a direct continuation from their previous effort.

That’s not to say ‘As You Please’ is bad – it isn’t. There are some standout moments to appreciate and enjoy, such as the massive ‘Medicine’ which sounds like Citizen at their finest. The bridge especially inspires you to punch the air with joy at the cacophony of noise filling your ears. There is also the incredible ‘Control’; a song which grabs your attention immediately with an electro tone and heavy drums, before sending you on a four minute ride where it’s genuinely difficult not to be taken in by everything going on in the song. The drum work is imposing and effective, and Nick Hamm and Ryland Oehlers do incredibly well to make two vastly different guitar parts work so well together.

There is a lot of good on ‘As You Please’ that shows that Citizen are still entirely capable of creating a genre defining album, the problem is that the strong parts only makes fleeting appearances. The rest of the record is absolutely fine, but it does kind of just pass you by. Anyone expecting a huge progression on ‘As You Please’ will end up disappointed, whereas those who were happy with the band’s sound on their previous records will arrive at the end feeling satisfied if not thrilled. Overall it feels like a record which will see Citizen through the next couple of years. If in the future they can carry forward what they found on the likes of ‘In The Middle Of It All’ then album number four could be very special.

CHRIS MARSHMAN

The band will be releasing their third album ‘As You Please’ on the same day via Run for Cover Records.

They will also be playing the following UK shows this week with Honey Lung.

OCTOBER
03 MANCHESTER Deaf Institute
04 NOTTINGHAM Bodega
05 LONDON Bush Hall

photo: Jimmy Fontaine

Both songs are taken from their upcoming third album, ‘As You Please’, which will be released on the 6th October via Run for Cover Records.

They will also be playing the following UK shows this October with Honey Lung.

OCTOBER
03 MANCHESTER Deaf Institute
04 NOTTINGHAM Bodega
05 LONDON Bush Hall

photo: Jimmy Fontaine