6/10
It may seem like a lifetime ago that we were bopping around to his first hit-single 'Radar Detector' back in 2010, but New York-based frontman Darwin Deez has spent the last eight years continuing his adventures in the spritely, indie-pop that filled his self-titled debut album. But unlike many in his position that would rather fans keep up with their current style rather than reminisce about former glory, Deez keeps those days close to his heart as he returns with his fourth studio album '10 Songs That Happened When You Left Me With My Stupid Heart'.
As you can tell by the title of this new record, the frontman has most definitely allowed his emotions to write this record, giving us less on the high-tempo dancefloor-ready material of years gone by, and opting for a more heartfelt approach. His newfound direction has also seen him spend more time around a synthesiser than a guitar as well, showcasing a more electronic side to his emotionally-charged intentions. Yet despite his best efforts to get us involved on this new album, the slower pace and lovelorn approach doesn't work its best at all times.
Tracks like 'Queen Of Spades' and 'Getaway' add a glimmer of the old Darwin Deez at times, but the rest of the record just seems too jumbled to really get invested in. As individual tracks, the record produces a number of interesting ideas, but when all played together, it just never seems to get going in the way we would have hoped.