Last month, Declan McKenna’s long-awaited third album, What Happened to the Beach, was released via his own label, Tomplicated Records. His first LP since 2020, the album is a psychedelic blend of indie, pop, rock, and basically whatever the ‘voice of a generation’ feels like saying. Christy Clark reviews.
  I can’t remember when I discovered Declan McKenna’s music. I feel as though I’ve sort of always been aware of it, yet only started listening intently in 2020 when his sophomore Zeros came out. What Happened to the Beach? is the first album of his I have really looked forward to, listening to every one of the pre-released singles with excitement and expectation.
And Declan did not disappoint: I’ve often wanted to base my image around the beach, and I just might with the singer’s effortless commanding of the territory. The album’s four singles buzz with the singer’s characteristic youth, vibrancy, care-freeness, even the political undertone felt most obviously on two of his earliest hits, Brazil and British Bombs.
McKenna might have written another timeless banger in the form of Mulholland’s Dinner and Wine. It’s the epitome of his artistry: coy, confident, unclear quite what’s going on without a deeper lyrical dive, but brilliant nonetheless. Elevator Hum, Nothing Works, and Sympathy, too, demonstrate a singer who might find hard-work emulating his biggest hit Brazil, but remains on the up artistically and critically – the album earning a massive 82 on Metacritic. There’s credit to be had for the nostalgic WOBBLE and the tounge-in-cheek Breath of Light, also, songs that feel signature to McKenna’s new beachy vibe.
There’s a but, though, as there was with McKenna’s earlier two LPs. Certain songs might stand out, stand the test of time, and stand supreme, but What Happened to the Beach filters out in a rather lackluster manner – I’ve already forgotten the final few tracks. It left me with the familiar sense that, whilst eclectic, experimental, and endearing, McKenna falls short of creating a completely listenable record. I thought this might be the time, but, alas.
Leaving off his 2020 indie-hit My House might have hurt his chances, a song foreshadowing, musically, the album, but serving only as a pre-cursor of what was to come. I can see why McKenna would want to leave out a song about the pandemic but, come on, when it’s that good you can understand my disappointment.
The album’s highs are about as high as McKenna has ever been, its lows about as low as usual. For the most part, he takes the audience along on a frantic trip to the beach, quelling the question – what happened to the beach? – when, naturally, it’s right here. If this is the voice that epitomises out generation, I think we’ve done pretty well for ourselves. I certainly know a few who might benefit from crying in the sun as opposed to their bedroom (WOBBLE lyric). The record, though, ultimately stays too long on the sand, and might have benefitted with a few minutes less in the sun.
Christy Clark
Edited by Natalie Howarth
Featured Image from Declan McKenna's What Happened to the Beach? album. No changes were made to this image.
In-article videos courtesy of Declan McKenna via Youtube. No changes were made to this video.