Deeper “Careful!” Album Review
Chicago band Deeper’s third studio album, “Careful!” is a modern take on the bass-heavy new wave gothic sounds of the 80s. Released early this September, each track takes on the familiar styles of Deeper’s previous releases, but with greater experimentation in synth and song structure.
“Build a Bridge” opens the album, reminiscent of the late 2000s to early 2010s alternative and popular rock style. A simple bumping bass line, synth and guitar melody following the vocals bring to mind bands like The Killers. The instrumentation is easy to follow and the repeated lyrics “It’s the right kind of rhythm” will quickly get stuck in your head.
In between a couple of tracks, short transitional songs are included such as “Heat Lamp” and “Pilsen 4th,” creating a more immersive listening experience. Following the first transition is “Glare,” which has the same very distinct lead guitar tone as in other top songs by Deeper like “Esoteric” and “Spray Paint.” This clean sound cuts sharply through in the song, but sounds like it could have been played on a Goodwill guitar in the best way possible. Like many tracks off of the album, “Glare” has a perfect dance tempo, but maintains a melancholy feeling that contradicts its rhythm. Such opposites combine in an unexpected way, one that feels both wrong and right in tandem.
“Careful!” undoubtedly draws lots of 1980s New Wave inspiration, as is most recognizable in “Tele.” Heavy synth and a consistent bouncing bass are heard throughout, giving it a gothic pop impression, similar to one you might hear by Depeche Mode or The Cure. Though it carries very human emotion through the lyrics and reverberated vocals, the machine-like quality of instruments intimates that it could have been performed by robots.
“Careful!” has a very cohesive sound which acts both in and out of favor for the album. In many aspects, the similarity in instrumentation, tone and repetitive bass lines is what makes Deeper so distinct when compared to other artists. However, the track list of “Careful!” struggles to differentiate themselves from each other. At some moments, the songs feel as if they’re blending together, making listening to the full album front to back a little bit monotonous.
Regardless, the closing track, “Pressure” stands out amongst the others as a break from the usual melancholy. Though it does not completely abandon the sense of existential dread that makes Deeper so easy to connect to, the song has a much more upbeat melody. “Pressure” has a hopefulness that lacks in the previous tracks, which leaves you feeling much lighter, almost uplifted. “Careful!” carefully combines heavy lyrical material and melodies with an ending that pleasantly diverges from its more consistent pessimism.
