We all know the feeling…the overwhelming dread at the thought of reading the news. It can be a lot to deal with. The Roanoke VA three-piece outfit Eternal Summers have taken that feeling and created an ultimately hopeful and pleasurable listen in their new record Every Day It Feels Like I’m Dying.
Eternal Summers have been around since 2009, initially as a two-piece playing short, fun, power-pop songs. With each record that has followed they’ve expanded and explored their sound, always avoiding being pigeon-holed into any one thing. Some of their work has elements of shoe-gaze while other songs are poppy and full of hooks. With this new release they've introduced keyboards into their sound and quieted things down a bit more than they’ve done in the past.
This is the kind of music you listen to on a warm spring day. Take for example the first single, “Forever Mine,” which is pretty representative of what you can expect to hear on the record. It’s catchy sure, and Nicole Yun has a really welcoming, pleasant voice; but the twinkles of keyboards in the background and the use of space really stand out here. Alternately, there is “Contenders,” arguably the most “rock” song on the record. It shows a different side of the band, but one that’s very welcome, channeling Proximity Effect-era Nada Surf through an Eternal Summers sieve.
What’s striking about this record is that despite the title, it isn’t a particularly sad affair. While it may be darker than some of Eternal Summer’s earlier work, the humanity and ultimate hopefulness shines through in Yun’s vocals. It helps that the songs are propelled by the extremely solid rhythm section of Daniel Cundiff and Jonathan Woods. Cundiff takes inspiration from jazz with his drumming, and it works really well in this context.
I like this record a lot, and I like it more the more I listen to it. It may sound pretty and sweet (because it is!) but underneath that sheen is a depth and vulnerability that a lot of artists wouldn’t necessarily have the bravery to go for. It’s a very human release, one that seems especially relevant in 2018 when every one of us have looked at the news and immediately felt like we were dying. In all, Every Day It Feels Like I’m Dying is a vivid and worthy addition to the catalog of a band that is never content to simply repeat themselves.
For fans of: Amber Arcades, Big Thief, The Cardigans, Nada Surf, sun-kissed solo dance parties in your bedroom
Our Take: Eternal Summers have crafted a fine guitar pop album that isn’t afraid to experiment with the genre. It’s a deeply personal record, with a honey sweet sheen.
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