Evergreen (Hopeless Records) is a very ambitious album and frankly by far the most thematically well-rounded and best effort from Pvris yet. Lyndsey Gerd Gunnulfsen has seamlessly planted a flag on the moon here, showing it was her that made this project special all along. Not only a queer champion, Gunnulfsen is a top-notch creator and performer who can back it up with grade-A material with startling philosophical depth amidst the beats and hooks.
In a dehumanizing world and pop landscape, this is a mighty fine collection of alternative, chillwave, emo, and electro-pop-informed songs. It can be sugary but not a sugar pill.
Evergreen might go over some biased folks heads who just hear pop elements on the surface, but for the astute listener, there is so, so much more. It is funny to recall that Pvris were once upon a time on a ‘Punk Goes Pop’ compilation, as if a vehicle this catchy needed to make the distinction. Pvris sounds more like Pink‘s Trustfall or Robyn these days. We have great punk and emo scene-rooted bands like Leopard Print Taser, Rid Of Me or Scowl holding it down. We have a smaller pool of artists keeping artsy pop inventive and meaningful (though Melanie Martinez, Rituals Of Mine, Tove Lo or Charli XCX come to mind).
What remains “alt-punk” for Lynn Gunn/Pvris here on Evergreen in every way is a “control your own destiny” attitude paired with overcoming insecurity. Metamorphosis and impermanence themes abound and finally, initial emotional pains give way to desiring to leave a proud mark for those who truly connect and fuck with you.
When the powerful David Zaslav‘s of the world are destroying art for commodities and the homogenization of culture, at the end of day you have to be yourself and do your best amidst the ‘Neon Demon’ environmental demands. That is good enough and special. In a compromise-filled industry (Pvris is currently post-major label), amidst complex relationships including with oneself, it is powerful that Lynn realizes that lasting, meaningful emotions and organic instrumentation can co-exist with the fun and spontaneous or even the artificial. In a fleeting world, self-love is rebellion more than self-harm. The Faith No More “Be Aggressive” famous cheerleaders-esque shouts on “Good Enemy” are literal friends in the dark here hyping her up, like Eminem answering himself on overdubs (but not as crazy, haha).
It is not only deep yogic truth to realize the “not grasping” of Buddhism can become an attachment to non-attachment (in itself another form of attachment to attaining perfection), but also an act of queer rebellion to accept oneself warts and all. Can we stop holding the knife by the blade, as Gunn alludes on “Good Enemy”? The artist holding her own amused severed head on the album cover is the perfect encapsulation of the emo Mahakali pop of this “you can’t control me” triumph.
PJ Harvey has a new song called “I Inside the Old Year Dying”. Gunn seems to embody a similar rebirth concept here, while learning she was full all along the journey. “Goddess” pairs Ke$ha humble brag sass with last person standing ownership, shedding the Warped Tour trappings for a sophisticated bop sound with insane vocal layers. It is a masterclass in both trolling and stage claiming. When Gwen went solo after No Doubt you missed the band. Here it is more than Lynn is the band.
It also helps that this is a record full of bangers that defy easy categorization. Tour with K. Flay and Cookiee Kawaii, please? The blend of dreamy electronica music and dark and heavy beats of rock work wonders.
The band was once named Operation Guillotine in their early metalcore days, but the cutting off of the symbolic head ego death going on now is less about chopping heads off the rich and more about realizing if you fought for it the most and are the face of the band, it is ok to take pride in the ‘brand’ you have built and not talk yourself down or into self-harm. When Gunn calls herself iconic and a brand though, it is both beautifully funny, tongue in cheek, and yet also accurately self-aware in a way few folks are capable of these days. She can look at herself from many lights. Especially in a world where noncis male producers still get undervalued. This is not a not so democratic Chinese Democracy type album as much as it is claiming the throne to keep it real.
The album arc goes from very tired and distraught to fighting to the grave to goddess empowerment to remaining evergreen. It is like the poetry of the comic book The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, where an avatar of death realizes she loves life and that she doesn’t want her old way back when allowed to grow. Monstering yourself won’t stand when so many others already are doing it for you.
“Senti-mental” has a call-and-response subconscious discussion feel with funky guitar/piano and a killer strut beat. It is a near-perfect “can’t please everyone” strong anthem, especially from someone who once had to overcome mental blocks to perform. I formerly categorized Gunn alongside Halsey as an artist whose attitude and charisma eclipsed their singing range, but songs like the Mike Shinoda co-crafted almost neo-soul sounding bombast of “Take My Nirvana” or the Vowws level cold morning comedown thrill of “Headlights” obliterate my ignorance and show Gunn’s strong pipes and range at full capacity. I feel bad for any band that has to follow this level of energy.
There is a strength to being OUT and showing it’s ok to be dark, ok to be loud, to be messy. It is ok to be sad and then confident…human. Evergreen recalls Fugazi‘s one-time sentiment of no one counting until they are dead, underscoring the constant desire for newness throwing us all off a cliff.
I legit love this moment for Pvris.
Buy the album here:
https://hopelessrecords.bandcamp.com
9 / 10
MORGAN Y. EVANS