Brave Faces Everyone (studio album) by Spanish Love Songs

From Brad1770 11/13/2022 06:39

The Hold Steady meets Dashboard Confessional stuck in Emo-Hell

Anti-capitalist emo-pop. Not something I expected, but I approve. I love how it manages to be an angsty emo album on the surface while still clinging to the punk roots of both emo and pop punk. Songs like Losers and Losers 2 in particular make me want to tear down our current economic system.

This is the 2020 record that was named album of the year by many prominent YouTube reviewers, including ARTV, Spectrum Pulse, Never Normal, Crash Thompson, Rocked, and Myke C-Town. Most of those reviewers awarded this record a perfect score.

Brave Faces Everyone is a nice thematic and anthemic record that improves with every listen, but dang, the lyrical content can be hard to navigate, depending on the listener's tastes.

Is it good? Yes, it's an improvement over the also excellent "Schmalz" album, released in 2018. Whereas Schmalz was an examination of life through various humorous angles, Brave Faces Everyone is a cohesive look into a young person who suffers constantly with his peers from mental and economic woes. Musically, this record is anthemic and melodic and really rewarding. Lyrically, it is very challenging if one cannot get past the dark humor and references to things like dead dogs and snot. Lyricist Dylan Slocum again tries to interject some humor and some optimism, and it helps keeps things interesting, but it just does not neutralize the constant bleak lyrical content.

Essential.

Track Pick: Losers
Gems: Kick, Losers Pt 2

Dec20. I just love the sound of these guys. The bridge between Nirvana and 2000s emo, with a good bit of punk thrown in. Not sure how such bleak lyrics and sounds can make me feel so good. They just express things so directly. If wallowing in mysery over 2020 or suffering from some anxiety, then these guys have you covered.
'Routine Pain' serves as a good summary of what you are going to get here. Endearingly heart-crushing. 'Self-Destruction (As a Sensible Career Choice)', despite its (literally) bleak lyrics has a bounce to it that reminds me of someone like Spraynard. 'The Generation Loss' is the kind of great song The Menzingers are noted for, but also finishes much like a Spraynard song. 'Losers' was an instant favourite. The desperate cries of 'Optimism (As a Radical Life Choice)' wormed its way into my head. I don't feel that down, but I can recall times when I would have loved to have this song playing. Holy shit - the lyrics to 'Losers 2'. Another that just hits all the bad feels in a good way
This is beautiful in its own dark way, but perhaps a little too depressing over the whole album. It certainly is an album for 2020. Still, I dug it. 4/5