Having previously reviewed Socialites’ ‘Winter’, I was excited to return to the Texas band and envelop myself in their brilliant debut record. In their Spotify biography, they describe themselves as, “Just a band from Texas vibe’n making music”. Although this summary may seem to diminish the band themselves, a listener would be forgiven for using this very phrasing to do the same. From the very first hushed chords of ‘Getting Out’, Socialites immediately appear as a band who are intent at reflecting moods within fleeting moments.
‘Second Place’ is a wonderfully bouncy song, with reverberated vocals and guitars that shimmer across vast sunny landscapes. Although this formula for producing a certain kind of soundscape is repeated throughout the entirety of Where To, you can see why the band may have been reluctant to switch up their sound. They are staggeringly competent at crafting pop songs that are as dreamy as they are catchy, something that is often difficult to balance.
Like I mentioned in my previous write-up, ‘Winter’ is the strongest offering on Where To. It is my personal favourite; the song feels like a cool shower after a sweltering day in the sun, ironic, given the track title. It combines all of the tropes you love about dream-pop, shaken them up and crafted into an immaculate vibe of a song.
Towards the conclusion of the record, Where To leans further into jangle-pop territory; the eponymous track being packed full of glittering synths and bittersweet melodies; the final track, ‘Paige’ being one of the more restrained, yet still as dreamy, moments on the record. The last minute of the song reads like the closing moments in a 90s teen movie, the cast waving goodbye to the audience and their world for the last time. It’s the perfect round up of an album that uses sound so carefully in order to create feeling.
Where To is an album of consideration, mood, and storytelling. At their best, Socialites sound like they love the music they make, something that is infectious to the listener. The vibes they conjure are evocative of the deftness of their artistic talents, as well as their commitment to creating a simply great time. The sun is out, and Socialites are here to help you enjoy it!
Written by Callum Foulds