5/10
After the hyped and praise they received from the release of their 'Reflections' EP last year, New York-based quintet MisterWives went on to be named MTV's 'Artist To Watch' for 2015, following in the footsteps of Chvrches, Chari XCX and Meghan Trainor. So I think it's fair to say that expectations are high. Their debut album 'Our Own House' aims to showcase the variety of sounds and influences the band already holds and extend it throughout a full-length record, with mixed results.
Taking the energised pop route that Taylor Swift has found success with, 'Our Own House' is a mix of power balled-esque songwriting rubbing up against a solid ska influence that overall gives the record an extremely upbeat impression. The addition of a brass section to the outfit has given them an extremely chirpy sound, but while they seem to figured out what they want to do, the results do vary from track to track and in places, does not have the same impact that the energy of the song would suggest.
It is certainly an enjoyable record with some solid highlights, but they just don't seem comfortable in themselves just yet. The result is an album that doesn't flow as well as it should.