Black Dresses - Forever in Your Heart ALBUM REVIEW
I’m aware this came out a while ago, and yes I’m reviewing it now.
Black Dresses aren’t a band. They aren’t one anymore, at least. In 2020, the duo consisting of Ada Rook and Devi McCallion dropped their breakout album, Peaceful as Hell. It was a noisy, ‘not-for-everyone,’ and dizzying album that sounded nothing like it. Then, it was gone. Not long after it was released, Rook and McCallion ended Black Dresses, mainly having to do with harassment from fans. The rest of their music also got taken off of streaming services, and you can only find their stuff on the group’s Bandcamp page. Even though they aren’t working as Black Dresses anymore, though, that doesn’t mean that new music has seen the light of day. This past Valentine’s Day, Forever in Your Heart was released onto the internet with no fanfare. It was essentially plopped into the laps of their fans, erratic or not. It also came with this message: ‘We're no longer a band, unfortunately. Regardless, we've decided to keep putting out music. Blessed to make & share these songs.’ I have no clue if this is an official return or just an album that was made prior to the break-up, but either way, we have a new Black Dresses album. Let’s get into Forever in Your Heart.
If you don’t follow me on Twitter, I’ve said a few times now that this is my favorite album cover of the year so far. I’ve said that for a couple different albums, but bear with me here. The art is done by Bani-Chan, and if I could use two words to describe it, it’s beautiful and freaky. Do you know where I’m going with this? This album is both beautiful and freaky. Rook and McCallion feel like physical embodiments of ‘doomscrolling,’ the official definition being “the act of spending an excessive amount of screen time devoted to the absorption of dystopian news.” Essentially, if you were obsessed with looking at news about bad things in 2020, this is the audio equivalent of it. Their lyrics are absolutely devastating, with the main theme of trying to find the beautiful things in a world that’s becoming more and more hopeless. When it comes to the production, it’s like hyperpop mixed heavy metal, electronic, and even screamo when they just SCREAM THEIR FUCKING BRAINS OUT on “Concrete Bubble.” It goes over incredibly well on nearly every track, and I’m pretty impressed.
Black Dresses may not be a band anymore, but they can still make some damn good music. Forever in Your Heart is an album that sounds like nothing else right now. Ada Rook and Devi McCallion prove yet again that they’re some of the most creative and versatile artists working right now. So much heart and soul is put into this album, especially knowing how dark it is. If the journey of Black Dresses does end here, at least they went out with a bang.
9/10
Listen here
Bandcamp
Forever In Your Heart is self-released.
Black Dresses aren’t a band. They aren’t one anymore, at least. In 2020, the duo consisting of Ada Rook and Devi McCallion dropped their breakout album, Peaceful as Hell. It was a noisy, ‘not-for-everyone,’ and dizzying album that sounded nothing like it. Then, it was gone. Not long after it was released, Rook and McCallion ended Black Dresses, mainly having to do with harassment from fans. The rest of their music also got taken off of streaming services, and you can only find their stuff on the group’s Bandcamp page. Even though they aren’t working as Black Dresses anymore, though, that doesn’t mean that new music has seen the light of day. This past Valentine’s Day, Forever in Your Heart was released onto the internet with no fanfare. It was essentially plopped into the laps of their fans, erratic or not. It also came with this message: ‘We're no longer a band, unfortunately. Regardless, we've decided to keep putting out music. Blessed to make & share these songs.’ I have no clue if this is an official return or just an album that was made prior to the break-up, but either way, we have a new Black Dresses album. Let’s get into Forever in Your Heart.
If you don’t follow me on Twitter, I’ve said a few times now that this is my favorite album cover of the year so far. I’ve said that for a couple different albums, but bear with me here. The art is done by Bani-Chan, and if I could use two words to describe it, it’s beautiful and freaky. Do you know where I’m going with this? This album is both beautiful and freaky. Rook and McCallion feel like physical embodiments of ‘doomscrolling,’ the official definition being “the act of spending an excessive amount of screen time devoted to the absorption of dystopian news.” Essentially, if you were obsessed with looking at news about bad things in 2020, this is the audio equivalent of it. Their lyrics are absolutely devastating, with the main theme of trying to find the beautiful things in a world that’s becoming more and more hopeless. When it comes to the production, it’s like hyperpop mixed heavy metal, electronic, and even screamo when they just SCREAM THEIR FUCKING BRAINS OUT on “Concrete Bubble.” It goes over incredibly well on nearly every track, and I’m pretty impressed.
Black Dresses may not be a band anymore, but they can still make some damn good music. Forever in Your Heart is an album that sounds like nothing else right now. Ada Rook and Devi McCallion prove yet again that they’re some of the most creative and versatile artists working right now. So much heart and soul is put into this album, especially knowing how dark it is. If the journey of Black Dresses does end here, at least they went out with a bang.
9/10
Listen here
Bandcamp
Forever In Your Heart is self-released.
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