By Maria Lubanovic, Staff Writer
[Atlantic; 2017]
Rating: 7/10

Key Tracks: “Vacation”, “Buddy”, “Black Francis”

Terrible Human Beings is The Orwells‘ third album. Their sound is unchanged since their last album Disgraceland, with great guitar riffs and a classic rock-alternative sound. The album is short, but it’s just enough to have a taste of the twisted yet sweet rock sounds and lyrics.

The album opens with “They Put a Body in the Bayou”, a heavy hitting and dramatic track with a catchy chorus. The lyrics are rebellious and set a precedent for the rest of the album. This is followed up by “Fry” and “Creatures”, two short yet driving rock songs that continue the style.

“Vacation” is one of the best songs on the album. It’s short, sweet and reminiscent of summer days and has a real garage-rock charm. It encourages listeners to get away from the television and call off your reservations. It’s an energetic banger with well-done background music: What more could you want?

The Pixies-inspired “Black Francis” has strong guitar backing and is catchy and fun. The Orwells credit Pixies as one of their biggest inspirations, so it makes sense to have a tribute to them. “Buddy”, one of the shortest songs on the album, follows the same formula, great guitar, catchy lyrics, and a great drum vibe.

Arguably one of the biggest problems with the album is how consistent it is. Many of the songs seem like they belong on a previous album, or that their formula is too repetitive. For anyone who loves a garage-rock sound, that isn’t really an issue. It’s a fun album, but hopefully next time, they’ll push the envelope a little bit more.