Written by Freya Wille
Easy Life are at the top of their game; known for their sporadic pacing and funky beat, it’s hard for them not to stand out from the crowd. Riding the crest of their recent success is their latest album, life’s a beach, which, despite the breezy title, reminds its listeners that life is anything but, as the band explore relationships, loneliness, and self-development.
‘Finally accomplished something
,finally learnt my lesson’ The album kicks off with an out of tune piano and uncertain singing from front man, Murray Matravers, in a message to myself. This rapidly picks up pace as Matravers launches into a list of self-affirmations and habits to break. While this was a somewhat jarring start to an album, especially one titled life’s a beach, it sets the tone and outlines expectations for what’s to come.
‘And if we’re still awake, we’ll make the neighbours listen’ Next up, making a soft and sweet entrance by comparison, is have a great day. Peppered with sea-side imagery, have a great day invites you to reminisce over summer-romances and extended evenings. This is a true, light-hearted summer-time tune, offering the simplicity and anticipation of a relationship on the brink of beginning, all the while retaining that cheeky lyricism Easy Life are known for.
‘We could pretend it’s always like this, let’s pretend it’s always like this’ Sorrowful and sleepy, ocean view follows up have a great day. It can be interpreted as carrying on the storyline, expressing the disappointments which have developed from the fleeting promises of a summer romance. Slowing it down so early in the album is seemingly quite a bold move, but one which ultimately pays off when we go in thick and fast with skeletons.
‘Got a good appetite for a bad reputation’ Easy Life pull a full 360, rapidly changing the tone with a sudden transition to skeletons; a dance-y tune combined with flirty lyrics, making this song a radio-favourite. The repetition of the lyric ‘skeletons’ promises new listeners something different if they choose to explore the band further. The radio success of skeletons feels like a tactical decision; while not my favourite song from the album, it definitely stands out from other popular singles.
‘It's disappointing and anticlimactical, you read my messages but didn't get back at all’ Daydreams slows things back down. Sleepy and lustful, we reexplore the earlier themes of relationships, when the only worthwhile pastime is pining for an unattainable individual. The lyrics feel simpler in their nature when compared to ocean view, but when you consider the radio success of daydreams, it is understandable – repetition seems to sell.
‘Life’s a beach’ Up next is the albums name sake; a short, sweet interlude which lifts the mood as we move away from the radio favourites.
‘Dead and buried and entombed with my wisdom’ Living strange explores themes of depression and loneliness. Frantic and fast, you can hear the desperation and sadness in Matraver’s voice as he reels off his ‘suicidal thoughts’ and regrets. These tones are not what you would usually expect from Easy Life, but in the wake of the pandemic and the on-going mental health crisis, it’s important for these issues to be expressed within accessible art, which Easy Life do not hold back from discussing.
‘Clouds dripping rain upon this heavenly notation, I met you in a dream state, what you doing these days?’ Stripped back by comparison to the rest of the album, compliments reconnects with what is shaping out to be an ongoing relationship across the album. Compliments explores the deteriorating relationship with poetic and romantic lyrics, creating a sense of regret, and willing to improve. This song is gentle and understated, and deserves more recognition and praise.
‘Guess I was born at wrong and I've been wrong since, it's game over, the PS2 is frozen’ Drawing back to the seaside imagery, lifeboat carries feelings of self-disappointment and failing to meet other people’s expectations. At the same time, it teaches a valuable lesson in accepting help from others when you need it, and, despite the sad undertones the lyrics bring, there is a strong sense of bonding and friendship in this song.
‘I've never been so tired and lately I don't feel quite right’ Nightmares feels unhinged and concerning in its approach to discussing mental health. It vocalises the feeling of putting on a brave face and acting as usual, despite sleepless nights and an overactive mind. After the sense of comradery built in lifeboat, nightmares feels dismissive in how Easy Life attempt to shift focus away from the matter at hand, with a casual ‘its nothing you should worry yourself about’. The lyrics are raw and relatable, yet the song itself remains catchy and upbeat, creating a cheery confusion for listeners, ultimately adding to the dismissive attitude of his own mental health problems.
‘The sunset's pretty on the shore, you're the only thing I'd make a journey for’ Homesick is lazy and romantic. It draws you in with its vivid imagery and feels like driving at sunset away from a perfect weekend. Its an easy listen; still exploring themes of loneliness and longing, without overtly emotional lyrics.
‘Why is it that when you're ruined, all your interactions seem to have a mysterious undertone’ In a spoken word recount of Matraver’s night out, music to walk home to concludes the album. Through his drunkenly slurred speech, his Leicestershire accent is thick and strong. He reels off his one-sided conversation in a manner which likens to a stand-up comedy gig, cracking jokes and lazily making light of the trouble he has sleeping. It’s a drunken one-AM call from a fucked-up mate, and I would not expect any other way for Easy Life to sign-off their album.