More polished than their previous efforts, The Prettiest Curse sees Hinds step away from their lo-fi roots — but the quirky Spanish quartet haven’t lost their garage-rock edge.
Just Like Kids (Miau) sees them address unsolicited, sexist criticism, the foursome having the last cackle-like laugh as they repeat tired comments (“You’re too pink to be admired / And too punk to be desired”) while eye-rolling so hard you can practically hear it. The grunge-influenced guitars are still there but Hinds’ efforts are more pop-led this time around, with penultimate track Waiting For You boasting all the elements of an instant hit.
Riding Solo captures the unexpected loneliness of being on the road, as they dabble with distortion, and Boy — complete with a chorus begging to be chanted — documents the familiar heady rush of a budding romance, before segueing into the uniqueness of worrying things will cool off while you’re on tour.
Their quick wit and sharp clapbacks manage to make the struggles of being rock stars relatable and interesting, and throughout the record, they dabble with singing in their native tongue for the first time.
It’s not all youthful defiance and raucous sounds though — Hinds can do low-tempo too. This Moment Forever brings proceedings to a dreamy, laidback close as the gang yearn for a chance to press pause.
