P R / D E S - The Way Back Up
- Written by Kyle McCormick
From a name change celebration in a quaint Glaswegian party warehouse, to a celebratory performance in a massive Glaswegian arena for the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony, P R / D E S have come a long way from the early days of Midnight Lion. Their debut album marks the band’s success so far in infectious style, completing their ascent on the way back up from somewhere unknown to synth-pop stardom.
The trio’s blend of impassioned euphoria is transmitted through a combination of tracks which meander between the soaring and the solemn. From the pop sensibilities of ‘I Should Know You Better’ to the endearing allure of closer ‘The Kite String And The Anchor Rope’ the band impart their musical vision of a dance-filled future in respectable style.
The single duo of ‘Messiah’ and ‘Higher Love’ at the record’s outset gets the ball rolling, the foot tapping, and the hips twerking, brimming with the synth-pop energy the band are renowned for, delivered in particularly potent choruses. Whilst ‘Let It Go’ is unfortunately not a cover of the Disney smash-hit, it is a charming number based on reflection and measured guitar melodies.
’Same Mistakes’ provided a brief moment for breath amidst the sweaty dancefloor of tracks it finds itself surrounded by, including the excellent and angular ‘Just Say It’ that falls somewhere between The 1975 and CHVRCHES with excellent results. Initial, break-out single ‘Out Of The Blue’ makes a welcome appearance in the album’s latter stages to remind you why you first thought this band were destined with greatness as the percussion resonates and the synths weave sonic tapestries.
Title track, and penultimate number, ‘The Way Back Up’ is a bundle of optimism that creates a sincere smile in time for it to be smeared by the downbeat closer, but remains one of the record’s strongest tracks regardless, a top notch pop masterpiece. Comparatively lengthy, and intrinsically sad, ‘The Kite String And The Anchor Rope’ provides the appropriate anchorage to reality after an album of varying degrees of danceability, as it relays an endearing tale of affection.
Whilst lacking in a considerable amount of originality, Prides have created a commendable debut album in The Way Back Up, one which adequately portraying their achievements and ambitions as a three-piece Glaswegian synth-pop outfit. With an obvious grasp of emotion and melody, it will be interesting to see where they go from here.