The Best Tracks of 2018, #7

7.CHVRCHES, “Graves” Of all the great tracks on CHVRCHES’ excellent third album, “Graves” is the one I kept going back to the most. Frankly I always enjoy it when the trio crank up their dance influences, and “Graves” is as good as a banger as I’ve heard from them. Curiously, for all the visceral power […]

The Best Albums of 2018, #8

8. CHVRCHES, Love is Dead (Glassnote) The reigning tastemaker in synth-pop for three albums now, CHVRCHES have always straddled the line between mainstream pop and “alternative”/“indie” with extraordinary skill, and you could imagine record label execs wishing the Scottish trio would pull out all the stops in an attempt at mainstream superstardom. Instead the band […]

The Best Tracks of 2018, #13

13. CHVRCHES & Wednesday Campanella, “Out of My Head” CHVRCHES made a strong 2018 even better by putting out a surprise single this past summer, in the form of a quirky little collaboration with Japanese electropop band Wednesday Campanella. Combining CHVRCHES’ trademark sound with a distinct J-pop influence makes the band’s music pop more effervescently […]

The Best Singles of 2016, #14

14. CHVRCHES with Hayley Williams, “Bury It” As the album/touring cycle for the brilliant Every Open Eye wound down, CHVRCHES did a good job staying in the public eye by releasing a new version of the standout track “Bury It”, featuring re-recorded vocals and a special appearance by Hayley Williams of Paramore. Accompanied by a […]

The Best Albums of 2013, #2

Chvrches, The Bones of What You Believe Glasgow trio Chvrches was the one band that got in my head, burrowed in and didn’t leave, for the entirety of 2013. I first learned about them when the BBC announced their Sound of 2013 nominees late last year, and starting with “The Mother We Share” right before […]

The Best Singles of 2013, #2

Chvrches, “Recover” I could have easily chosen any of Chvrches’ four 2013 singles for this spot on my list – they were all that good – but in the end I decided to go with the second song I ever heard them do, one that’s hung around and hung around all year long to the […]

The Best Singles of 2013, #12

CHVRCHES, “Gun” The third single in advance of CHVRCHES’ hugely hyped debut album was the one that showed that the Glasgow trio was indeed for real. The richest song they’d ever released at that point added more complexity to their rather straightforward blend of piercing Knife-style minimalist electro and lively pop hooks, and the end […]