Turnover’s third full-length, ‘Good Nature’ arrives with heightened expectations. Its predecessor, ‘Peripheral Vision’, accidentally set a benchmark, being adored by a word-of-mouth audience. While the latter saw Turnover dip their toes into the pool to cool off from their former emo/pop-punk sound, ‘Good Nature’ sees them dive in as the sunsets with a cool breeze flowing through the air.
From the outset, ‘Super Natural’ sets the tone; optimistic, atmospheric and certainly laid back. For the most part, Turnover’s style is pleasing on the ear. Throughout carefree guitars and a steady rhythm section compliment Austin Getz’s dreamy vocals, supplying a wealth of ethereal shoegaze-y numbers.
Without a doubt, ‘Good Nature’ is carried by a sunny disposition. The band’s sound palette has grown as gorgeous, mellow guitars serve as a constant throughout, with occasional jazzy lines and psychedelic grooves popping up. ‘Butterfly Dream’ ticks along with a plucky groove, giving way to a heavenly melody that eases into your subconscious. ‘Pure Devotion’ plays off twinkling guitars, with ‘Nightlight Girl’ coming off as subtly seductive.
Lyrically, Austin’s outlook is rosy and worldly, compared to the self-loathing heard on ‘Peripheral Vision’. ‘Curiosity’ sums up his frame of mind; “we all have a little curiosity. We’re so wide eyed. It gets hard to look at things from different perspectives.” He’s become considerate and content with his life and the world around him. When delved into, ‘Good Nature’ has a lyrical charm.
While exquisitely crafted, ‘Good Nature’ lacks a gravitas that carried ‘Peripheral Vision’. It lives in this warm, dreamy world, that even after repeated listens, absorbs into one mellow haze. Sure it’s cohesive but songs such as ‘Living Small’ fall short of having urgency. We’re sure some will be attracted to the warm, comforting tone that plagues ‘Good Nature’. For others, it’ll glide through with lacklustre appeal and unfortunate repetition.
2.5/5
‘Good Nature’ by Turnover is released on 25th August on Run For Cover Records.
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Words by Sêan Reid (@SeanReid86)
