Declan McKenna may have fled London for Los Angeles, but his third album ‘What Happened To The Beach?’ is far from what you’d expect of his US-inspired sojourn. McKenna, now 24 years old, has chosen to explore his own growth and maturity through introspection, rather than by looking to the world around him, and it’s resulted in an output that is even more sublime than his previous work. While politics, corruption and global warming dominated his first two albums, ‘What Happened To The Beach?’ takes a less serious path and explores hope, joy, and creativity that glow as bright as the Californian sunshine.
McKenna has admitted that he worked on his mental health with therapy to make himself comfortable with the lighter lyrical approach that dominates ‘What Happened To The Beach?’. Working alongside producer Gianluca Buccellati, who helped the likes of Arlo Parks and Lana Del Rey achieve success, McKenna has delivered an album with a lighter sonic atmosphere, allowing space for oddness and quirkiness to rule. Although the sharp wit is not so apparent on this third album, it has been replaced by a playful exuberance that’s just as enchanting.
The album’s lead single ‘Sympathy’ is a theatrical throwback to ‘60s pop and sets the tone with its promise of self-love and affirmation: “You don’t need to be clever.” The theme of freedom runs through the album, starting with the opening track ‘Wobble,’ where McKenna revels in his newfound California-induced mindset, singing “I used to cry at home all night and now I’m out in the sunshine.”
The album’s LA-painted notion is complemented with a strong British influence in ‘I Write the News’, an attack on soaring London rent and “Kensington dudes”, while ‘Nothing Works’ confronts stifling music execs and questions the artist’s ability to grow among a system that only values their initial success. The release of perfection, along with the freedom to create, keeps the lyrics flowing and brings a profound joy to the listener.
McKenna’s growth as an artist is apparent on ‘What Happened To The Beach?’, with an abundant display of creativity, and awareness of self. This outing shows his maturity and leaves his younger base of fans to navigate their way through the blunt realities of this modern age. McKenna is no longer speaking for a generation but only for himself, and with this album he does so with remarkable style and grace.
‘What Happened To The Beach?’ is set to release on February 9, 2024, via Columbia
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