Charly Bliss - "Forever"
Actually good and novel pop rock
“Bubblegrunge.”
That is a legit term I ran across to describe this band, which is why they ended up on my list.
Because what?!
Charly Bliss is a four-piece based in Brooklyn, but originally formed in 2011 in Westport, CT. Their debut record, Guppy, released in 2017. The current lineup has been in place for a solid decade, so the one replacement (the bassist) happened before the band started releasing albums.
Forever is their third full-length effort, and it is a bright, yet emotional, in-your-face ride. “Bubblegrunge” refers to a blend of Bubblegum Pop and Grunge; but on this album, the grunge elements seem to be pulled back — I’m not hearing much of that at all (there’s a touch of distortion to the lead guitar at some points…that’s all). Rather, the album is dominated by a blend of Bubblegum/Power Pop, Indie Rock, and touches of Pop Punk. Eva Hendricks’ vocals stay at the front of the mix for the entire album, carrying the melody, executing some really catchy hooks, and just generally emphasizing the poppy aspects of the band’s sound.
But the composition supporting her is still rich and complex in most songs — up to three guitars (lead and two rhythm), three synths (one being a bass synth), bass, live percussion and backing vox? When they’re all active (which is, admittedly, rare), the composition gets deep.
Eva Hendricks assists on rhythm guitar and/or one of the synths while singing, according to the band’s credits. The three gentlemen involved in the rest of the instrumentation are:
Percussionist Sam Hendricks, Eva’s brother.1
Former child actor, and now lead guitarist, Spencer Fox. Fox was the voice of Dash in the original The Incredibles (2004) movie, and had a recurring role as Jim Possible on Kim Possible in 2007. A few years later, he met Eva, then ended up moving to her town of Westport while still in high school.
Bassist Dan Shure, who is also an accomplished director, video editor, and actor, and took over for departing (original) bassist Kevin Copeland in 2014.
Finally, I have to add that Eva’s lyricism is heavily inspired by Lorde’s Melodrama,2 with Eva on-record saying “…it felt like she was so unafraid to say everything…she dug as deep as she possibly could.”
I did describe the album, above, as emotional. That influence is precisely why.
From the pained, loving want of “Nineteen” to the mixed, but boppy, introspection of “I’m Not Dead”, Forever covers a lot of ground. There are a few downbeat tracks, but most manage to balance sincere, interesting lyricism with energy and forward momentum. The synth-heavy, atmospheric “Here Comes The Darkness” is an excellent example, with the song building and surrounding the vocals — the world moving and thriving around the speaker as they sink into heartbreak and depression — in this wild sort of dumpling-like song structure. Only the song’s bridge leaves the song’s emotional core fully open and exposed for a brief moment.
While I haven’t spotted any real through-lines, the album is full of fun, catchy songs. While there are elements of their sound you might compare to specific aspects of other artists, Charly Bliss manages to stand apart from all of the other pop and indie artists I’ve gotten to know over the last half-decade.
And I firmly believe that this band is exactly the group some of you have been looking for.
If you like Pop Rock — and especially if you also feel that a lot of Pop Rock, like The Script, has grown stale — you should definitely give this one a go.
Rating: Teal Green
Sam, if you ever see this, I apologize for not including more of your accomplishments — your name is very common. Spencer’s history is an interesting note that I couldn’t not include, and it felt unfair not to try and find something notable for the rest of you.
You’re a cool bro, though.
The band’s approach to their sound and composition are also inspired by that album; specifically because it was so unique when it released. Charly Bliss is meant to stand apart from every other act in the pop space; they don’t want to copycat anybody.