Forever Review: Alt-Rockers Embrace Pop Sound

On their first two albums – 2017’s Guppy and 2019’s Young Enough – Brooklyn’s Charly Bliss explored a blend of sonic sweet and savory. Pop-punk, bubblegum-grunge, and powerpop: whatever the mixture, the impression was of an alternative band with inherent pop sensibilities. Their latest album, Forever, emerges following a period of significant change for the band. Vocalist Eva Hendricks moved halfway around the world to Australia, while her drummer brother Sam welcomed two children. When they came together to write again, they wanted it “to be fun.”

Forever certainly meets that objective, and for the first time, Charly Bliss’s pop side takes precedence. The euphoric waves in the standout track Calling You Out evoke the feel of a band version of Carly Rae Jepsen. One could even imagine Olivia Rodrigo tackling the youthful angst of Nineteen’s power ballad. Every song on the record, from the emo vocal stylings of I Don’t Know Anything to the endearingly cheesy closer Last First Kiss, is infused with high-stakes emotion and a willingness to be vulnerable. While the album might occasionally benefit from more nuance, its wide-eyed spirit is generally endearing.