Between their self-titled debut and
Babes Never Die
,
Honeyblood
went through some big changes. Most notably, founding drummer
Shona McVicar
left shortly after
's release, with
Cat Myers
replacing her on the throne. For her first album with the band, she and
Stina Tweeddale
recruited producer
James Dring
, who also worked with
Gorillaz
Jamie T
., and
Lana Del Rey
-- artists who aren't exactly similar to the fizzy yet wistful sound
crafted on their debut. Indeed,
finds
Tweeddale
and
Myers
doubling down on spiky, '90s-tinged rockers like "Killer Bangs" and "Choker" and leaving their graceful indie pop by the wayside, revealing a much louder and bolder band. The loping rhythm of "Justine, Misery Queen" is a great showcase for
, while the synths on "Love Is a Disease" reflect how much the duo challenged expectations this time around. The album's first three songs are some of the finest examples of
2.0: "Ready for the Magic" is razor-edged pop, full of hand-clapping verses and stinging riffs; "Sea Hearts" is as packed with heavy guitars and trippy twists and turns as
University
-era
Throwing Muses
, and the title track evokes the joyously grungy defiance of
Bettie Serveert
. Meanwhile, the dreamy choruses on "Hey, Stellar" and "Cruel"'s sugar-coated manipulation underscore how good
is at writing and singing confessional songs. ~ Heather Phares