The Bones Of What You Believe

This made me feel so real, so big, and so alive. It made me want to run barefoot across a dewy field with all my energy until I get tired. It made me want to conquer the sky. It made me want to aggressively put positive energy in myself while commuting.

I was honestly shocked to see CHVRCHΞS (people always remember the "vee" but not the "equivalent to") on here but they definitely belong. This is not my favorite album of theirs but maybe since it was their debut album it makes sense for this list. This is not normally the kind of music that appeals to me, but this album is fantastic. Maybe it's the 80s feel, or the clever (without being eye-roll-y) lyrics, or the lead singer's sheer charisma. Whatever it is, it's a great listen. 4.5 stars.

Vsvally, synth-pop albvms don't do mvch for me becavse of the pavcity of uariety. The bvbblgvm chorvses are not vnlike the vnceasing hvm in the backgrovnd of Christopher Nolan's Dvnkirk, except that I'm qvite svre he was actvally trying to make his avdience vncomfortable. Howeuer, this albvm was a departvre from the rvle. Best track: Recouer

The pretentious spelling of the band's name immediately pisses me off. See runtime is over an hour, crack my knuckles. Two points knocked off and the music hasn't even begun. The music isn't terrible, and at its best sounds a little like Robyn, just without the magic. Synths are usually urgent, the songs have velocity and the album is dynamic both within the tracks and their sequencing. Were this half its length, I could call this consistent, but as it is over an hour it is samey. My ear lobes were curling up with boredom by the halfway mark. 2.

I added this album to my collection a few years ago based on the song Science/Visions that played at the end of a podcast episode I had listened to. The rest of the album does not disappoint. Chvrches takes synth-pop to epic stadium levels and I love the lead singer and the construction of the songs. Great!

4.1 + If someone were to stop me randomly on the street and ask, "What's an album that Pitchfork would've called 'Best New Music' in the 2010's?", this might be the first record that comes to mind. Such a perfect encapsulation of a certain "Pitchfork-core" sound of that era - breezy electro-pop with plenty of 1980's synth throwbacks. Standouts: "Under the Tide", "Recover."

Perfectly serviceable, perfectly dull synth pop with a retro edge to it. Perhaps I'm getting a little too long in tooth and jaw, but the wide-eyed sweetness of the vocals and the video game crispness of the music fail to charm. Where's the human, beating heart to this whole endeavour?

Quite a painful listen after artists like Michael Jackson and Fleetwood Mac. The chord progressions were simplistic, there was no harmony, just bland synths and lyrics. This nearly fell into a 1 but I did like the Scottish accents coming through, and one of the songs was Ok (can’t remember which one). Overall this made me really question the list. This just feels like such an arbitrary choice, probably added shortly after it came out. I’d say at least 10 years should pass before an album can be considered for the list, looking back on this album now you can see it for what it is, soulless synth pop, or as the Scots say “a load a’ shite”.

i remember these being all the rage when they were out but i never got involved. It sounds like some sort of Taylor Swift prototype, a precursor of the misery to come.

This is a top 1001 album?

This is an album I knew a lot of songs from already, thanks to the copious airtime this received when it came out. I think at the time I got a bit bored of just how much it was played, but it's been nearly 10 years now so I can appreciate this again, as well as acquire a palate that really enjoys indie electronica. With all that being said, I loved this album. Sitting down and hearing this properly, I thought it was excellent. The lyricism was wonderful and Mayberry has such an energy and charisma to her vocals. Overall it's absolutely dripping with 80s Synth-Pop flair, but it still manages to stay varied enough to not grow stale by the end of the 67-minute long record. Really tempted to get this on vinyl... I took early 2010s pop and electronica for granted - this is so much better than any of the endless TikTok crap that Radio 1 plays these days... Favourite: Recover

Somewhere in my shoegazey, guitar-driven hard-rock heart I have a big soft spot for indie electronica, and I’m pretty sure it’s this album that started me down that path. When this LP dropped in 2014, it was the first melody-driven, well-executed electronic music I’d heard that didn’t revolve around massive drops or progressive builds. Mayberry’s featherlight yet strong vocals on top of some great synth choices and big, booming rhythms is a great play of light against heavy, light against dark. The use of space is exceptional - not a single track goes by without feeling huge and anthemic due to the airtight production and heavy use of reverb, but the group still manages to make tracks feel small and intimate (‘Gun’ is a great example of this). To this day the album feels fresh, alive, and new thanks to the strong songwriting and use of texture that makes every line, beat, and word resonate hugely in a wall of vibrant sound. It’s unfortunate that the band hasn’t been able to innovate their sound with much success in the following decade, but with an opening statement this strong, unique, and fully-formed, I have no problem if the group continues to stay in their lane and make excellent indietronica.

Feels like I could either patronizingly skewer this or praise it. The childlike/simple vocals (a great review has it being a mix between Lorde and KidzBop) have this almost childlike quality which isn't necessarily devoid of emotion but approaches it. Yet that vocal clarity kind of cuts through the synths perfectly. And wow...the synths...: everywhere and everything. Almost right away the sequencers seem a bit much. On every track. I guess that's the entire point of the album/band. But.... still the melody is pretty damn infectious on every track. Maybe it's not necessarily a dichotomy that the sound is so lightweight AND each song carries a strong melody. My biggest *want* would be that I keep thinking that on at least some of these songs changing up the instrumentation to add some organic elements like guitars - both electric and acoustic - could really have pushed this to another level. Still - what they do, they do pretty damn well here. Not sure I can listen to the entire album as a whole again but I can't dismiss it either. 7/10 3 stars.

The Chvrches magic remains just as potent as ever, something evading attempts to summarize. I didn't expect weeping this time but did, for the time, for the intervening decade, for being picked up in each and every song by some element. I cases, the saving moment arrives late, and the enduring consistency is even confusing. Irreplicable; irreplaceable.

Now this is the type of synth pop that absolutely tickles me. This had me jamming the whole time. I'll definitely be diving into their discography!

I've been listening to Chvrches on shuffle for so long that I forgot which songs were on which albums. I've always liked them ever since I first heard them, and seeing them live was amazing. It's also really cool that they have an album on this list now. This album came out in 2013 and it cannot be overstated how fucking abysmal mainstream pop/rock was at this time. Every single song sounded the same with a buildup to a drop and a chorus that was just a bunch of mmms and ohs. Calvin harris type bullshit was taking over. Chvrches does buildups and drops on here but they are so natural and produced so well. Everything has a deep sound to it. The vocals are unique too in the sense that there are regular male and female singing vocals but also a ton of mouth sounds mixed into the song itself, it's pretty insane how much of each song is just singing digitized and harmonized. It's cool and gives them their iconic sound. Science/visions is their best song and it slaps hard as hell. Very unique sound and structure to it. Their 2nd album is just as good. Score: 90 Art: 80

Big Tegan and Sara energy

Synth pop in general and CHVRCHES in particular are fine, but nothing here grabbed me. I don’t regret listening but I also don’t see me putting this album on any time soon. I wonder if their popularity says more about when it came out than anything else

I first heard this band 10+ years ago on a rock/new rock fam radio station I didn’t like them, I gave the whole album a chance. Lyrics are way too soft for my taste and I like pop music. Very electronic Had a hard time getting to the end

This shit spiked in popularity about 10-15 years ago in "big indie" circles. Very beige, very predictable, catchy without huge hooks. Would suit one of those triple j festivals where bands from 500 different genres (not metal) tell the crowd they have a "great vibe" - groovin' the moo, byron bluesfest, falls, etc. Would ruin my acid trip for sure. I was gonna give it a 3/5 because it isn't *that* bad, just not my thing. But oh Christ, this shit only has one setting and it SUCKS. Every song sounds identical, none of it remotely interesting. Still 3 songs to go and time has slowed to a crawl. Update: it got no better. After writing this, I googled "chvrches falls festival" just to see, and they're playing it this year. First result. ha ha, fucking picked it. Fuck off and die, hipster shit. 2/5.

Good album I enjoy the chvrches style of music. I'd heard the song The Mother We Share before and already loved it so I enjoyed hearing the rest of the songs from the same album.

Lauren Mayberry has such a cute posh Scottish accent. This album is definitely a modern classic in both Scottish music and synth pop.

Album #42 If you like synth-pop, you should love this album. If you don't like synth-pop....what's wrong with you?!? CHVRCHES have been on my radar for about 10 years and I just hadn't gotten around to listening to anything other than an occasional single. After listening to this album, I'm planning on going through their discography. This was the kind of music that I felt all throughout myself and I didn't want it to end. 5*

I actually loved this album - it just makes you feel alive and it's so full of energy. Great, unique, pseudo-futuristic sound. 9/10.

An excellent album. It came out when so many bands were doing the retro-synth thing, and for most it was just an affectation. On this album CHVRCHES built songs that would stand out regardless of the instrumentation.

This must have been influential on Jack Antonoff’s synth heavy production style making it therefore influential on Taylor Swift, Lorde, and others. The actual album was fine though no track truly stood out to me.

I know the band from a distance, may have listened to this a decade ago. It's enjoyable and listenable, but I am not thinking this is a 1001 worthy overall - it breaks no new ground, the vocals are above average, two lead singers, the hooks are there but no classic or cornerstone track on the album. Oddly, the first track has 183M listens on Spotify but I've never heard it on the radio, XM or at a party. There's a Taylor Swift vibe to "Gun" and "Lungs" for sure. "Recover" is a good song but it's textbook pop but it sounds like a weak B-side from Metric. "You Caught The Light" is self-indulgent nonsense. You get 16 songs so there's value if you're a fan. Designed for Millennials maybe? Nothing really intriguing or catchy. Again, this one isn't worthy of being I need to hear before I die.

Someone teach the kids how to use compression, yikes.

Not sure if I don't like Indie Music or just am grated by this woman's voice.

I feel it's unfair for me to rate this. It's absolutely not the type of music I like listening to. I really hated having to listen to this.

I will admit that nostalgia is affecting my opinion on this album a little. But this brings me back to a great time in my life and I loved listening to this album again after not hearing it for a couple years. I am sitting on Dylan's futon, high as a kite, vibing all over again.

really nice modern synthpop

this album made me happy, full of energy and positivity, loved it

I mvst admit… I’m a fan Screen Violence was one of my favourite listens from 2021. I should admit that I didn’t listen to a second CHVRCHES album until today. However: *rocks in a rickety chair* back in my day iTunes used to give away free songs to promote new artists. Through that I got tastes of artists like Phosphorescent, Bahamas, Bastille, and CHVRCHES, the last of which gave away the song “Recover”. Long story short, I was rocking to “Recover” years before I bothered to learn any other of their songs Maybe due to that early exposure, I find this a joy to listen to. As indebted to yesterday's Cocteau Twins as the summery pop in She's Not Unusual by Cyndi Lauper, CHVRCHES’s debut holds up 11 years later. No notes HL: “Recover”, “The Mother We Share”, “Tether”, “Science/Visions”, “Lungs”, "Night Skies"

Truly the best of 2010s indie pop. It’s energetic and dynamic without losing its depth.

Ah, Chvrches! I had no idea this album was included in one of the more recent editions of the book until I saw it listed on the List Challenges page. I've had a healthy obsession with Chvrches since I first heard the sweet synth notes of "Recover" on an Austin radio station back in 2013. I bought a copy of this album on preorder, and I own a copy of the 10th anniversary edition as well. I've gotten to see Chvrches live twice, and I've gotten to meet the band on both of those occasions (they're wonderful people). I've easily listened to this album more than any other album, and once I'm done with this list, I imagine that this will be what I list as my favorite album. Like I said, it's a healthy obsession. Now that the details are out of the way, let's jump into the music! Those opening 'oh-oh-oh's' of "The Mother We Share" are absolute perfection. You know right away what this album is going to be, and the rest of the album makes good on delivering on that promise of beautiful synth arrangements and perfect drum machines. I went on a solo trip to Germany in October of 2013, and I would listen to this album every day while I was there. Listening to this song reminds me of the crisp autumn air on my face as I walked to the train station every morning. "We Sink" is a perfect follow up to the opening track. The synths are a little bit deeper in tone, but they pulse at a pace that keeps the momentum going. "Gun" slows things down a bit and allows Lauren Mayberry to be in the driver's seat for the emotional tone. I love that amongst all the brightness of the synthesizers, songs like "Gun" can still pack a punch. I love how "Tether" starts off as one of the more stripped-down songs on the album, but the crescendo it builds to is perfect. Knowing that the blistering synthesizers are coming makes the song even better on repeat listens. "Lies" is probably one of my least favorite songs on the album, but I still love it. To me, it's a great bridge between the first four songs on the album and "Under the Tide." "Under the Tide" is the most underrated song on the album in my opinion. One of two songs on the album where Lauren Mayberry doesn't sing lead vocals, Martin Doherty gets to take over, and he crushes it. Another song that builds to an epic crescendo, "Under the Tide" is the perfect lead-in to "Recover," one of the strongest tracks on the album. I don't know what it is about "Recover" that I love so much. Yes, it was my first exposure to Chvrches and their brand of synth pop perfection, but it still holds its magic for me, over eleven years after I first heard it. I think it's something in the pacing of the song that draws me in. The song never really builds to a peak, but somehow, the anticipation of some sort of peak is there, waiting to be uncovered. I think "Recover" always makes me want to listen to more Chvrches, and that's what I love about it. "Night Sky" and "Science/Visions" are a shift away from the brighter tones of "Recover," but nothing about that shift feels unnatural or forced. "Lungs" shifts back to the brighter sound, and features some of my favorite drum machine parts on the album. The rhythm of the drums matches the pacing of the vocals perfectly, and that pacing is perfect for the lyrics of this song too. "By the Throat" and "You Caught the Light" are great closing tracks, letting the album flex its emotional muscles, instead of hitting with more blissful synth sounds. To me, it's perfectly fitting that the album closes with these two tracks, because while this album has so many great synth pop sounds, the emotion and the lyrics are great too. I love this album so much, and I'm so glad I got to write about it today. If you somehow made it to the end of this review, and you like Chvrches, I highly recommend their second album, Every Open Eye, and their most recent album, Screen Violence. Listening to Chvrches always makes my day better, and I'm so glad that this wonderful trio has shared their talents with the world.

Virkelig fed faktisk, havde ikke lige forventet det. God dance, føler jeg er i neon-verden ligesom pigerne i Karamelldansen, men en smule mindre lalleglad. Take me back to the naugthies baby

own

This is a fantastic album! I’m glad to have the excuse to listen to it again, because I’ve only heard it about three times. The synths are beautiful, sounding much better than most of the synth… music from the 2010s. Favourite song: ‘Tether’. (The instrumental is FANTASTIC).

Mgmt adjacent. Maybe m83. Really good stuff.

This album was really it. I felt like I was in Tron. La Roux/Grimes/The 1975/The xx hybrid in the best way possible. I am now a CHVRCHES fan! Gonna be replaying this one a lot.

This album is amazing! Science/Visions blew my mind! Don’t know why I haven’t listened to CHVRCHES before. I knew a couple of songs that were on FIFA but that was all. They’re a bit like The 1975, a bit like La Roux, but more sophisticated than both. The singer has a great voice and I love the synths. Such a beautiful colourful soundscape, made me feel all tingly.

That's a good one. Modern music finally!

Okay, this is getting 5. Is it a 10/5? No, but I just love it so much and have so much nostalgia for it. I played this to death when it came out, and am happy to say it still holds up as some fantastic synth pop. Not a single skip for me. Lauren Mayberry has such a lovely, unique voice. A great album for shaking it out with some cathartic dancing as well, which I definitely did!

This is what I was hoping to find with this experiment. Music I would never actively seek out, and surprisingly fun. I didn't love the songs with the male lead vocals. I thought the last song fell flat. 4.5 stars, but going to 5 since that's not an option!

-this is such an awesome album -bops after bops -great synth pop music -it feels so psychedelic for some reason -I love the female vocals -the album cover reminds me of Kraftwerk, "Radio-Activity" -so danceable -favorite songs: The Mother We Share, We Sink, Gun, Tether, Under The Tide, Recover (<3), Night Sky, Science/Visions (<3), Lungs, You Caught The Light -least favorite song: By The Throat

Great debut album. A fresh sound with a delightful voice from Lauren Mayberry. The song writing is good and the melodies are catchy. Really enjoyed this disc. The Mother We Share and Science/Visions are the standout tracks. Worth another listen.

10/10 When I first heard Chvrches I had frisson from beginning to end. I can't explain the sense of future nostalgia I feel get when listening. They have better albums than this, and that is saying a whole bunch. 7-3-2024

I've been listening to this one since it came out. Probably still my favorite of their records. Lauren Mayberry is great on this. I'm not a big fan of the two songs where she's not the lead singer.

Thoroughly enjoyed this album - good variety, great beats!

I loved this when it came out and it's still a banger. I listened to this album on repeat.

I have a hard time explaining why CHVRCHΞS is one of my favorite bands. Synth pop isn’t typically my thing. High twee vocals aren’t typically my thing. And yet, I love their sound. Love their style. Love Lauren Mayberry’s vocals. Somehow it just all fits together perfectly. I think while their music is very synth-driven, labeling them synth pop just doesn’t quite capture their sound. Iain Cook and Martin Doherty crafted a sound for CHVRCHΞS that is like everything else and yet like nothing else. And this makes sense, as the artists the group cites as their heroes and influences cover a broad and fascinating range. Over the years, CHVRCHΞS has solidified themselves as one of the bands that I will immediately seek out new music from, go to see them live any time they come through town, and extol their brilliance to anyone who will listen. They’ve been pretty successful since “Bones of What You Believe,” but they are one of those bands that I remain mystified that they aren’t even bigger than they are. I shouldn’t be surprised though. Only rap and pop acts are ubiquitous and culturally pervasive. And Mayberry is a writer and singer not afraid to speak truth to music industry power. Mayberry and CHVRCHΞS are never going to be a band that does whatever the label execs and marketing people tell them to do to make money. They have fought sexism and misogyny in the way the band is represented in the media, pushed by record executives, and in their response to the anonymous online harassment that pervades internet culture. They portray themselves as a band despite encouragement to put Mayberry not just in front but alone to appeal more to the male gaze. On their debut, they wanted to write and produce their own stuff, not deceptively front for a faceless producer like so many pop acts. And while they have loosened up a bit on some of those points through their career, Mayberry’s lyrics still question the cost of stardom and bite back at those who have suggested that she soften her accent or put more emphasis on her looks.

I heard The Mother We Share on a Pandora station I had and was instantly hooked. I bought the album, slid the CD in my car’s player, and it didn’t leave for the better part of 2 years. I’m most in love with the electronic elements, especially the synths. Iain and Martin are geniuses IMHO. They layer synth lines with guitar effects and vocal loops into a modern symphony. Even more so, the particular passages of the album that are the most satisfying use emptiness, sparsity, the negative space, to build to volcanic eruptions of joy. For instance, the first 2:40 of Tether feel laid back, dripping with anticipation until the fist pumping synth line punches through. Or the end of the 1st chorus of Under The Tide that builds only to go straight into the second verse while the 2nd chorus builds and builds into a jump inducing resolution. The juxtaposition, the unresolved 1st chorus, makes the 2nd that much more emphatic. The live show Chvrches puts on is great. My favorite song live from this album is Science/Visions. It’s got the pedal to the metal from the jump. I must say if they would vary the set list show by show, I might go on tour with them permanently. Lauren’s brilliance shines through lyrically as well. On Lies she evicerates a former romantic interest to a pop soundtrack. She asserts her power after putting up with his shit for too long. I finally figured you out…don’t fuck with me. And on Lungs, which is a track I appreciate more and more as time goes on, the pacing and phrasing of her delivery about another deceptive relationship is something special. To Iain, Lauren, and Martin, my deepest gratitude for sharing your gifts. This is my favorite album of all time. 🙌 ❤️ 🙇🏻

While this isn't my favorite CHVRCHES album, I am ecstatic they are on the list. Killer band.

Synth Pop at its greatest... Love it, need to listen to more...

First 5 stars!! And the easiest one to give. Big fan of CHVRCHES and whilst I’d say this is probably my lower ranked of their albums, it’s still an amazing record. So many good songs on it - Lungs is one of my faves ever. I think people either love them or hate them, or are possibly indifferent to them. For me, it’s love. They’re also one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen - if you’ve seen them at the Barras in Glasgow, you’ll know.

Wow. I kinda always knew I'd love CHVRCHES but I REALLY loved this. And a debut album too? Just an awesome sound. Synthy but not so synthy it was annoying. Great vocals, too!

This is an essential part of my college soundtrack! Jammed to this so many times walking between classes. This just hits that synth-pop itch for me, so it's an easy 5/5.

Aight I need to apologize to Mason for all the crap I gave him about electronic music back in middle/high school. I thoroughly enjoyed this here album. I loved the lyrics, they did a good job of telling stories. I felt that the sounds were different on each song so the whole album didn't sound monotone. I also very much liked that they had different vocalists (granted it was only for two songs but still that's more than most bands). Very nice album.

Flawless synth pop.

oh wow I'm tempted to give this a 5 its so good synths are amazing and that voice!

Unique sound

Ethereal and beautiful, plus a Scottish bonus point - makes a surprising (to me) five stars!

Ну что ж, я люблю электронику. Ребёнок нулевых, не умеющий ценить текст вечных песен и звучание вечных инструментов, могущий лишь кайфовать от музыкальной синтезированной синтезатором наркоты. Lies, Night Sky, Science/Visions особенно хороши.

so enjoyable. great addition to the 1001 albums list!

damn, there are a lot of haters in the comments here. this album bangs and only really dips in quality when you get to the bonus tracks at the end. the mother we share is an absolute banger (and the only one i knew ahead of time, this time from the Harmonix game Dropmix) and the energy and vibes carry through the next six or so songs easily (which were apparently all released as singles? wild). more of this please!! favorites: tracks 1-8, you caught the light

What a delight! I’ve always liked the singles I’ve heard from this band, but truthfully, I would have never got around to listening to this album if not for this project! This was just my type of thing! I can’t even figure out what my favorite track off the album is, I loved them all! Perfect electro-pop, I wish I could be slightly drunk in 2014 dancing to these tracks at the club!

This was fun synthpop! I especially liked “Tether”. It had so many cool levels and was so high energy! I could definitely see myself listening to more by CHVRCHES.

I just like this album a lot. it's not my favorite of theirs so it's really like a 4.5 but I can't put that so (screen violence is just better because laura sings everything, sorry)

Very fun album, was not expecting Recover to be on this because I only knew it from their EP

A hypnotic and stunning synthpop jaunt from start to finish. I listened to this album on repeat for months when it first came out and was so happy to revisit it today and have it hold up. I also love seeing how much fun Chvrches have touring and engaging with their fans - it’s a refreshingly positive approach.

Topp 3 favorittband, og kanskje deres beste plate. Easy 5/5

Love this band and album. Hard to believe it's one 10 years old.

After hearing The Mother We Share in 2012, this was one of my most anticipated albums of 2013. I love this album so much. 5/5

Fucking great.

This was a masterpiece when it came out! Still sounds good!

Yassss! I love this. One of my fave running albums. Thank you 1001 albums

What a fantastic album!

cool

Absolutely loved this album!! Very 80s synth sounding with good drum beats and vocals are unique 👌

I didn't personally expect to enjoy synth-pop as much as I did with this album

These synths were fucking inspirational.

A grungier synthpop than Abba, but I can hear the 70s and especially 80s influence. Feels like music I should roller-skate to, which is a compliment. At the VERY least it breaks down the front door of my willpower and demands dancing.

Fantastic stvff, trvly, always a great band. 5 stars.

Science/Visions is best track from this, Lungs and Recover close. But I can't understand how they choose You Caught The Light to be closing track - that's a big no no for me. Great album and Screen Violence (2021) is even better.

Pop sintético ochentero

Rating: 10/10

I saw this band

Top shelf pop.

Great album. “Lungs” and “Night Sky” are my highlights

Great!

One of my favorites from this list so far I think… this indie electro pop sound is kinda what made me fall in love with music in general. Makes me feel like I’m 14-15 shuffling my iPod library.

Wonderful! Beautiful!

I bloody love Chvrches. Love this album.

How did i miss this

love it :) blast from the past

Love the band and love the album.

Kojima's favorite album. I'm very familiar with this band, what a great debut! It's a must listen if you're a fan of pop/synth music. I love hearing a mix of Lauren and the boy's vocals. My favorite song is Night Sky, but it's full of bangers.

A modern classic

Some genuinely beautiful and uplifting synth pop. Brings back a huge flood of Laneway 2014 memories alongside Haim, Lorde, Run the Jewels and the Jezabels. Bonus points for little hint of Scottish lilt you hear every now and then.