Cigarettes After Sex

As I hummed the soft melody, I was reminded of my eagerness to explore what high school had to offer. In the same way that lead singer Greg Gonzalez employs a ...

The entire album is sonically cohesive, and each of the songs melodically blends into the next—so much so that the listener is left wondering when the previous song ended and the new one began. Mixing both sensuality and melancholy, the band creates an atmosphere of sorrow that leaves the listener at peace rather than in tears. In “Apocalypse,” he opens the story equating the end of the world to the painful conclusion of his new lover’s previous relationships. With an upcoming North American tour on the way, I’m left wondering if the band’s self-titled album will sweep the setlist in the same way it swept the dream-pop teenagers of 2017. As I hummed the soft melody, I was reminded of my eagerness to explore what high school had to offer. The opening track “K.” not only symbolizes Kristen’s initial, but also the cold abbreviation of “OK.” The song is dedicated to her and details their origin story as it sets up the album.