The Singles simplify rock ‘n’ roll on Look How Fast A Heart Can Break, creating a unified record full of catchy guitar melodies, driving backbeats and love-struck lyrics. Harboring a sound very reminiscent of retro rocker Marshall Crenshaw, guitarist and songwriter Vincent Frederick provides clever lyrics about heartbreak in short numbers that replicate pop songs of old, with most songs clocking in under three minutes. Frederick’s minimal guitar solos are packed with emotion on tracks like “It’s So Hard To Get Over You,” and drummer Nicky Veltman’s backup harmonies during choruses add a romantic element to each track.
Each of the 13 songs on the album presents catchy tunes about breakups and the labors of love, with choruses enticing listeners to sing along. On the longest track of the album, at just over four minutes, “Our Last Goodbye” sports a progression reminiscent to love ballads like R.E.M’s “Everybody Hurts” and Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home,” fueling lyrics that speak of staying strong through the end of a relationship. “All The Things I Ever Wanted” and “How Fast A Heart Can Break,” two of the final three tracks on the album, present a sense of finality about broken relationships with minor verse to major chorus chord progressions, instilling a sense of optimism about where to go after the breakup.
Producer Rick Parker (Sugarcult, Matt Hutchinson, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) effectively captures the retro influences throughout the album as Frederick and Veltman take their audience along a downfallen journey of a love-infused, tension-riddled relationship. Look How Fast A Heart Break will keep listeners coming back for more through its relatable lyrics, effective and emotive guitar work, and historically popular sound.
In A Word: Retroactive
