Glam rock is not dead
Formentera was released by Metric in 2022. This electropop album set the stage for its sister album, Formentera II, which was released a year later in 2023. These albums are evidently heavily inspired by 80’s synthesized dance music and electronic elements. Metric, the Canadian indie rock band, played a risky game by releasing two albums with similar names in such a close span of time. If the first album was not received well, would the second? It was a dangerous choice but to Metric fans, it paid off in the end.
Formentera II begins with an upbeat 80’s synth-pop song called “Detour Up.” It truly sets the stage for the album. This glam-rock track is exciting and makes you want to move. It is a perfect clubbing song. The pulsing bass and steady drum beat keep the song simple, yet fun. This track is followed by another bass-heavy number, “Just The Once.” This feels like a vintage electronic song, following the previous track well and makes sense within Formentera II.
The third track, “Stone Window,” is dark and simple. Electronic beeping and ambient chords seemingly created by drum pads can be heard. The middle of the song picks up and drums are included alongside the swirling chords. It is a slower song and begins the transition into softer songs like “Days of Oblivion” which is more unhurried than the previous songs. This track is reminiscent of beachy music. This makes sense due to the fact that Formentera is an island in Spain. As the song progresses, the chorus is powerful and heavy with guitar stabs. Another slow song, “Who Would You Be For Me,” is gentler and barer than the rest of the songs. A simple hi-hat and drum pattern mixed with dreamy chords and acoustic guitar make this song feel more raw. A counter-melody plays during the chorus but then drops out again when the verse revisits.
As we move through the album, the songs begin to hold a darker tone. The sixth track, “Suckers” really emphasizes this darkness. It includes a Radiohead-like guitar break after the verses and slows down in the second half of the song without losing the moody tone. It seems like it is setting up a steady build for the final part of the song but it doesn’t, throwing the listener off as they wait for something big to happen at the song’s end. “Descendents” also is sad, slow and uses minor chords. It switches to upbeat electronic about a minute and 30 seconds into the song but from there it stays electronically based with plucked notes and stirring chords. The song continues to switch between electronic pulsing bass notes and hi-hats back to the original, soothing chords.
Another enjoyable attribute of this album is Metric’s use of layered vocals. In the song, “Nothing Is Perfect,” acoustic guitar and hopeless lyrics with the repeated theme of “nothing” are interrupted by layered, vocoder vocals showing that the band can play with electronics and acoustics, molding them together in a way that makes sense. It doesn’t feel out of place. The final track on the album, “Go Ahead And Cry,” also plays with vocalization. It is a bass-heavy song that has a simple melody enhanced with beautifully angelic layered vocals. This track ends the album off on a positive-sounding note that is juxtaposed by lyrics of being urged to cry and the worries of the world.
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