The Stories We Tell Ourselves
The Stories We Tell Ourselves combines direct hard rock songs with a more elaborate surrounding structure. Nothing More use electronic textures, spoken interludes and changes of mood to connect the heavier performances. The ideas can make the album feel crowded, but the strongest songs remain clear beneath that larger design.
Jonny Hawkins provides much of the record's character. His voice can move from a sharp scream into a more open melodic delivery, and he makes those changes feel like parts of the same performance. The range gives the music different levels of intensity without requiring every song to become heavier.
Do You Really Want It? sets out the more physical side with a firm rhythm and substantial guitars. Let 'em Burn moves from a quieter, whispered opening into a stronger instrumental attack. Ripping Me Apart uses electronic elements around both the playing and the voice, then creates an effective contrast between a smoother passage and a sudden scream.
Don't Stop pushes the mixture further. Its colder electronic sounds make the heavier guitars feel more pronounced when they arrive, while the chorus retains a clear pop appeal. The Great Divorce puts more emphasis on moving guitar figures and active drumming, showing another side of the band's detailed playing.
The quieter material helps the record breathe. Still in Love takes a more melodic rock approach, and Just Say When uses acoustic guitar to bring the cleaner singing forward. Near the end, Fadein / Fadeout gives the album a longer, emotionally direct conclusion, with its subject of parents and children adding weight to the performance.
The main weakness is the amount of material between the songs. The interludes can interrupt the momentum and make the programme feel longer than necessary.
Still, The Stories We Tell Ourselves has considerable variety and several strong performances. Nothing More are most convincing when a clear melody gives their heavier playing and electronic experiments a common direction. The ambition is worthwhile, even where a more compact arrangement of the album would help.
