Hideaway

"Hideaway could perhaps have done with a few more leftfield moments, then, because while it's breezy and over before you know it, that's largely because the majority of it is in one sedate speed setting. It's worth considering that this is Wavves' seventh album, and the San Diego quartet have built their name and formidable reputation on this kind of thing, so tinkering with the formula may not be the best course of action. Capturing it so beautifully, however, has worked out just fine".

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"Of course, nobody comes to a Wavves record for the production. This band lives or dies by its hooks, and in truth most of Hideaway's are only OK. They're straightforward to a fault, and short on those small, sometimes barely even perceptible deviations from expectation that distinguish a sublime hook from a routine one. Williams' greatest strength and weakness as a songwriter is that he always follows the path of least resistance. But a decade into his career, that approach has created a trap: Try too hard and it sounds forced; recycle the same tricks and there's nothing new to see".

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"Just over 10 years into their career, this album is Wavves' most original and varied work yet. The flagship traits we've come to love in the band are evergreen - from the melodic pop-rock riffs to the youthful vocal snarl - capturing the restless frustration at the world with ease once again. But now with the liberty of turning attention to new creative pathways, Williams has crafted one of their finest albums to date, this record an unshackled upping of the game".

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