After two studio albums and nine EPs, A Place to Bury Strangers finally shifted from their noise-rock sound overloaded with guitar effects to a more melodically rich, indie-rock tone on their latest album, Worship, offering a more pleasant listen compared to the previous albums.
It is easy to see this shift in the second track of the album, “You Are the One.” The mellow and dark intro is followed by Oliver Ackerman’s smooth vocals. Even though the band’s noise background is present via distortion and guitar effects, it is overshadowed by the catchy melody of the song.
The band also managed to incorporate electronic beats, offering a unique feel that is not usually a part their routine. It is also important to mention the DIY aspect of the album that is audible in the song’s raw essence.
The tunefulness of the song starts to disappear after 2:30, with the band’s usual Jesus and the Mary Chain influences peaking through. This is also the point where the mostly controlled effect pedals start to get overwhelming, forcing me to turn the volume down a bit.
The lyrics to the song are deep and explosive, but the layered and complicated vibes of the song makes it harder for the listeners to focus on the lyrics, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Overall, “You Are the One” is an accomplished song that has the elements that will please the old fans of A Place to Bury Strangers and offer a new point of view for the skeptics who thought the band’s noise energy and pedal effects were getting old.