PVRIS – Use Me Review
The ever-growing and evolving band, PVRIS, are back with their third studio album. Having previously being inspired by the likes of religion, spirituality and the paranormal when it comes to their lyrics, PVRIS are now more open and vulnerable to their fans when it comes to life, its wonders, its obstacles and everything strange that’s in-between. It is a dark but beautiful journey. Here is our track by track review of Use Me
The album opens with Gimme a Minute which starts with distorted electronic music before lead vocalist Lynn Gunn comes in as she tells a story of an individual’s hidden self-battle and their struggle within “a year of lows spent so high.” It all comes to a head when we get to the chorus where there is an electronic drop and Lynn begs for the listener to “gimme a minute” as she tries to get through her pain. The feeling of being both mentally and physically torn apart, destroyed but those around them have no clue and just tell them to essentially ‘get on with it’. They “told me to sing while I was choked”.
The following track Dead Weight starts off distorted, yet rhythmic. The vocals and instruments in each verse then gradually turn cleans as we get into the pre-chorus and are then fully replaced with a hard-hitting drum sound as Lynn angrily explains to us about the “dead weight hanging off from my shoulders”. Dead Weight is a story of someone taking away parts of your soul and leaving behind their baggage, and you feel every emotion, all the frustrations that Gunn experiences.
Things become more softer in Stay Gold; gentle instruments and angelic vocals tell the story of someone special in Gunn’s life. This is an entirely new feeling, this person isn’t like the others who are “dying off every night next to each other”, she doesn’t want to “trap you in a song” to only be sung “to a sea of blurry strangers”. This is sacred between the two of them, her only wish is that “I could keep you in amber”. This is an overall stunning track, the chorus itself is simply so hypnotic and beautiful.
For the first few seconds of Good to Be Alive we are led to believe that this will be an upbeat song, but the lyrics themselves then launch into an existential crisis. We hear about the good things in Lynn’s life, the things she loves, yet the juxtaposition with the struggles and fears of losing said things only get in the way; “Lost big dreams that I really don't need. Everything I love's gonna find a way to leave.” As she becomes more frustrated, everything steadily gets louder as she questions herself; “is this body even mine? Feels good to be alive, but I hate my life.” A song that can be scarily too relatable for listeners.
Released over a year ago, Death of Me is an electronic rock anthem about the overwhelming feeling of falling in love and letting someone in. What from the outside can be perceived as concerning and toxic, but when you are caught in the middle of it you strangely do not question anything. In this trance you are seeing wondrous things, you would do anything even though you know it is killing you; “I'm falling, fading, and seeing angels. Baby, you could be the death of me.”
Hallucinations feels almost dreamlike within the verses. Lynn is unable to let go of someone so now they are a permanent fixture in their mind; “I paint you in the corner of my mind. Forming colours from the rays of light.” The harsh reality then hits in the chorus as the dreamlike sounds are now replaced with hard-hitting instruments. Everything is louder as said person’s presence have fully taken over your mind.
The opening verse of Old Wounds is reminiscent of Empty from PVRIS’ debut album, White Noise, it sounds rather laid-back and distorted; soft and dreamlike. But the track then changes during the chorus, where it becomes dark and hard-hitting. The track then goes back and forth between the two styles mirroring the ongoing battle described in the lyrics. An ongoing battle in your head when thinking of whether to let someone back in, the person who previously hurt you; “They say don't open old wounds. But this is still brand new.”
Loveless; a simple heartbreak anthem. Acoustic guitar accompanies Lynn Gunn’s vocals as she explores the breakdown of a previous relationship, a story of the ongoing internal battle as to whether you should blame yourself, or if the other person is at fault. You cannot decide, and it eats you up; “if this is what love is then I guess I am loveless.”
Drum and bass styled track, January Rain, details another break-up story. But now instead of feeling confused, we are now feeling empty as we remember the small things, like being able to “remember how you taste. Somewhere in the bitter and the sweet, a dream.” The title itself is a metaphor for how no matter how hard you try the memories never quite go away; “do you think of me?” It is the type of song that leaves you with a lump in your throat.
The title track, Use Me, features 070 Shake, a hip-hop artist from New Jersey. We hear a story about someone who has have been dealing with everything alone; “there's something about you. It’s not that I doubt you. Angels circle around you. 'Cause you shouldn't be on your own”. You meet this person, and all you want to do is reach out to them, you don’t quite know how, but you would still do anything; “you can use all of me. Take a hit. Baby, breathe. I can do all you need.” Nothing else needs to be said, only that this is a beautiful, hypnotic song.
The final track, Wish You Well, plays it part as a conclusion for the story told throughout the album. A nod to January Rain in the psychic predicting the end of a relationship; “psychic told me something in September. We’d be burning out, but always tethered.” We are taken back to Stay Gold where Lynn reveals “every now and then I see you in amber,” and going even further back we return to PVRIS’ previous album, All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell, to the song, Walk Alone; “The less we're intertwined, the more we're healin’”. The concluding story is one of growth, acceptance and moving on
This is an album that covers the general human experience, all the good, all the bad and everything in between. Lynn Gunn takes you on a journey in every song, whether it is heartbreak, existentialism, falling in love, or the simpler things that make you human, you feel every word, you feel every emotion. A beautiful experience.
Standout tracks: Death of Me, January Rain and Use Me
