Tired Of Tomorrow
Tired Of Tomorrow gives Nothing's guitar sound a softer outline. The distortion is still present, but the melodies are easier to find, and piano and keyboard colours make the music feel more open. That change does not make the album cheerful. Its appeal comes from the distance between an inviting surface and the weary mood underneath.
Fever Queen makes a strong start. The drums bring energy into the arrangement, while the vocal keeps a more distant character. Nothing can create weight without putting every instrument at full force, and that balance gives the opening a clear sense of movement. It is a useful entry point into the album's mixture of noise and melody.
Vertigo Flowers and Curse Of The Sun bring the hooks closer to the front. Their more direct rock approach gives the record some welcome momentum, making the quieter stretches around them feel less fixed in place. ACD is another effective meeting of a large guitar sound and a rising melody. The band are convincing when those two parts support each other.
There is more restraint elsewhere. Eaten By Worms moves slowly but keeps a sense of purpose, while Our Plague settles into a gentler mood. The closing title track takes the clearest step away from the heavier sound, using piano across a longer, subdued finish. It leaves the record feeling more exposed than its opening might suggest.
The softer approach has a cost. Some songs lose the sharp dynamic changes that would make their quieter moments more effective. The smoother arrangements can also let the melodies pass by without leaving as strong an impression as the best tracks do. A pleasing guitar texture is not always enough to give a song its own identity.
Still, Tired Of Tomorrow contains several strong reasons to stay with it. The clearest hooks work well, the voice suits the atmosphere, and the added space gives the music another kind of emotional weight. Nothing are more approachable here, though less forceful in places. Listeners who enjoy shoegaze with a direct alternative rock core will find a thoughtful, uneven but rewarding album.
