Released: 25 June 2021
The Veronicas return to form with ‘Human’ – the second in the duo’s double album experience.
Released just one month after its predecessor ‘Godzilla’, that record struggled to live up to its promise of “distorted guitars, screaming, and 80s Synths,” with Retro Pop writing that the project “suffers from an identity crisis”.
But in a matter of weeks, the pair made up for the misstep with a brand new album that sees the girls do what they do best.
Opening with the heartfelt ballad Without You, twin sisters Jessica and Lisa Origliasso vowed to explore their abilities as “vulnerable songwriters” on ‘Human’.
Make no mistake, there’s no wallowing in self-pity here, with even the most emotive tracks crammed with hooks and lyrics that are as pointed as they are personal.
Take 2019 single Think of Me, for example, with the classic refrain: “Do you miss me in your sheets? / Do you miss me in your bed? / The way we talk all night? / The way I give you head?”
It’s a spark that shines through on ‘Human’, from the sadcore LA to dance floor bops Jealous and Goodbye – both of which are instant highlights – and makes the record quintessentially The Veronicas.
We could have done without the collaborations – Allday eats up the bulk of Life of the Party, and although Wrabel, Muki et al don’t detract from the songs, they add little to the affair.
That’s not to detract from the strengths of the album which, alongside highlights from ‘Godzilla’, could be combined to form one of The Veronicas’ best albums yet.
