My Ugly Clementine – ‘The Good Life’ album review: uninspired, predictable indie pop
Vienna-based indie trio My Ugly Clementine, the brainchild of Sophie Lindinger, Mira Lu Kovacs, and Nastasja Ronck, are back with their sophomore album, The Good Life. Unfortunately, the record lacks the punch it intends to pack, instead relying on age-old melodies and predictable song structures.
The Good Life is not necessarily a ‘bad’ album, but it feels like nothing new or exciting. The band’s use of grungey guitars and contrasting delicate vocals has appeal, but this quickly tires as the band rely too much on vocal repetition, which often becomes grating rather than charming. There are certainly lots of good moments sprinkled throughout the album, but these are overshadowed by bland lyricism and irritating choruses, resulting in a collection of generic indie pop tunes.
The opener ‘Circles’ has a sweet message, with the band singing, “But us friends, we’re close/Don’t you fade away!/We’ll be here today/ You might run in circles, drown yourself in work/ But we’re here, waiting for you.” While the song’s upbeat instrumentation is catchy, its structure has no originality – you can predict its troughs and peaks to the second.
In ‘Are You In’, the trio address the everyday issues that make us wish for “the good life,” which remains a dream. The lyrics skim the surface of capitalist discontent, with Lindinger singing, “The hustle, oh, I hate it.” It’s an anthemic cut, yet there’s a lack of passion in the simple lyrics, which are repeated over and over.
However, on ‘Too Much’, My Ugly Clementine demonstrates a slower, more melancholy side that becomes one of the album’s standout moments. The song builds nicely, and the trio’s layered vocals create a dreamy atmosphere, showcased by the minimal accompaniment of guitar and bass-led instrumentation. This time, the band’s vocal repetition works well, emphasising the sadness of being “left alone on a table for two.”
The band explore a new sonic avenue with ‘No’, which sees them at their most abrasive, using a call-and-response structure that feels defiant, seemingly drawing influence from riot grrrl, albeit in a much more polished fashion. They push the limits of their sound, making their guitars feel scuzzier and heavier, all while maintaining their indie-pop signatures.
As the album continues, many of the tracks seem to lack the oomph they clearly want to express. My Ugly Clementine constantly sounds like they’re holding themselves back, with ‘No’ demonstrating a glimpse of the band’s ability to let loose and lean into broader influences.
The track ‘Things’ is particularly annoying, with a grating “Na na na na” refrain, not before quoting the classic 10 Things I Hate About You speech. Similarly, the uninspired lyricism continues into ‘Feet Up’, which moves with a steady beat, but is bogged down by lines such as “I got no plans, I’m scrolling on the ‘gram/ In my bed, every Friday night, damn.” The song is still fun and will undoubtedly be one of the band’s best live cuts as they tour the album this autumn, but it just isn’t quite wry enough to get away with it on record.
Overall, My Ugly Clementine’s second album fails under the weight of safety – there’s a lack of boldness present, as though the band are scared to truly push themselves out of their comfort zones. While there are songs which hint at their ability to be more experimental musicians and beautiful vocal harmonies to be discovered, particularly on the closer, ‘How Would I Know What I Know’, The Good Life becomes nothing more than a predictably palatable set of songs.
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