Photo by Ewan Ogden
“If You Think This Is Real World” is the opening track of Blossoms’ brand new album, Foolish Loving Spaces (Virgin EMI Records). Since their acclaimed self-titled debut in 2016, the band has gone on to become one of the most interesting alternative pop acts of the British scene. This ten tracks piece is the confirmation of their potential. The times in which Blossoms were a promising band are long gone; they are not the future, they are the present.
The third full-length of the Stockport quintet starts off with a punchy melody that anticipates a Talking Heads heavily inspired tune. The indie pop group brings dance-hall-friendly-post-punk sensibility back from the 80’s and reinterprets it in 2020 with “If You Think This Is Real Life.” From the vocals, to the synths and “tropical-sounding” arrangements, the tune presents a New Wave aesthetic that permeates throughout. With this recent work, the band builds on the style with which they have managed to achieve success, while continuing to evolve and find new interesting ways to present their sound.
As the title of the album suggests, Fooling Loving Spaces covers narratives around the messiness of affection, the chaos of love and the sweet confusion of feeling enamored and the bitterness of breakups. Well, this song is no exception. Tom Ogden presents a story of a relationship falling apart. The lyrics express the blame, the resentment, the disconnection and frustration that can end up building up; when you don’t even remember the love that used to keep you together, and the difficulties of overcoming and moving on from that. I know you know that feeling.
So, painfully familiar emotions put into verses that sound joyful, over funky guitars, pop synths and groovy basslines, right? There is a huge demand for this kind of music these days. Generation Z youth wants songs that speak to their struggles and insecurities to find meaningfulness in an age so liquid, but they also like to dance and have fun for a while. Nobody can blame them. And that is who Blossoms is making music for. They know their audience and they are giving them what they want. I don’t know if this is real life, but I can tell you, it is a real banger.
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