| Sea of Worry | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 8, 2019 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 46:19 | |||
| Label | The Flenser | |||
| Have a Nice Life chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Sea of Worry | ||||
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Sea of Worry is the third studio album by American band Have a Nice Life, released on November 8, 2019, on the Flenser. [1] It is their first album to feature a full band. [2]
The album was announced by the band in August 2019. Shortly after the announcement, on the 27th, the band released the title track as a single. [3] Three other singles were released in advance of the album: "Lords of Tresserhorn", on September 17; [4] "Science Beat", on October 15; [5] and "Dracula Bells", on November 7. [6]
Two of the tracks, "Trespassers W" and "Destinos", were re-recorded versions of songs that appeared on their 2009 compilation album Voids. [7] Dan Barrett had been working on producing "Destinos" by 2006 at the latest, according to a blog post. [8]
The album has been described as more straightforward and accessible than the band's previous two LPs. [9] [10] [11] [12] Similarly, it is significantly more polished and has higher production quality, a departure from the band's typical lo-fi sound. [7]
The album takes influence from several genres, varying from track to track. Songs like "Sea of Worry", "Science Beat", and "Dracula Bells" have been compared to post-punk, new wave, and gothic rock. [2] [7] [9] [13] "Lords of Tresserhorn", according to Marika Zorzi of New Noise Magazine, "seamlessly blends their sweeping shoegaze/post-punk/experimental sound" in a way reminiscent of their earlier releases, [14] while Bill Peel of Kill Your Stereo noted a post-rock influence. [9] The album also features an instrumental track: "Everything We Forget". [15]
Much like the band's previous releases, many songs feature lyrics about depression. [9] Dan Barrett said that the central theme of the album is: "Jesus Christ, it’s just hard to be alive right now." [16]
Moreover, several songs discuss religion, particularly Christianity. "Dracula Bells" and "Trespassers W" both feature lyrics critical of the religion, [15] while "Destinos" begins with a recording of a preacher lecturing about God sending sinners to hell. [9]
The name of the track "Lords of Tresserhorn" is a reference to Magic: the Gathering. [9] The song was inspired by Barrett's children. [16]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Kill Your Stereo | 70/100 [9] |
| Pitchfork | 7.4/10 [7] |
| Sputnikmusic | 2.8/5 [13] |
| Wolfgang Magazin | 5.4/10 [17] |
The album was praised by Aristocrazia Webzine, who wrote that "being sad has never been so beautiful." [18] Other outlets that gave the album positive feedback include Pitchfork, [7] Spectrum Culture, [12] and Stereogum. [1]
The release was panned by Sputnikmusic, calling it "predictable". [13]
All tracks are written by Dan Barrett and Tim Macuga
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sea of Worry" | 4:40 |
| 2. | "Dracula Bells" | 7:44 |
| 3. | "Science Beat" | 5:35 |
| 4. | "Trespassers W" | 4:49 |
| 5. | "Everything We Forget" | 4:12 |
| 6. | "Lords of Tresserhorn" | 6:07 |
| 7. | "Destinos" | 13:12 |
| Total length: | 46:19 | |
Have a Nice Life
Band
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